Clinical impact of human metapneumovirus infections before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The first outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in March 2020 in Europe, which is normally the peak incidence period of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections, implying cocirculation and potentially causing competition between them. METHODS: We investigated differences in clinical characteristics and outcomes of HMPV infections in hospitalized patients before (January 2016-28 February, 2020) and HMPV and COVID-19 during part of the COVID-19 pandemic (28 February, 2020-1 April, 2020). RESULTS: A total of 239 HMPV patients and 303 COVID-19 patients were included. Incidence of HMPV peaked in March. Despite a 324% increase in HMPV testing during the COVID-19 outbreak, incidence of HMPV remained stable. Clinical characteristics showed 25 (11%) ICU admissions and 14 (6%) deaths. History of myocardial infarction, higher age and lower BMI were independently associated with increased 30-day mortality. Clinical characteristics of HMPV-infected patients did not differ between the non-COVID-19 period and the examined COVID-19 period except for length of hospital stay (7 vs. 5 days). HMPV infection and COVID-19 shared many clinical features but HMPV was associated with female gender, elderly patients and chronic conditions (COPD and chronic heart failure). Clinical outcomes did not differ between the viruses during the COVID-19 period. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical impact of HMPV infection did not change during the COVID-19 outbreak in terms of incidence and/or disease severity; hence, HMPV and SARS-CoV-2 are probably co-circulating independently. Despite the current clinical focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians should keep in mind that HMPV-infection may mimic COVID-19 and is also associated with serious adverse outcomes.

[Mortality and re-admission after hospitalization with COVID-19]. / Sterfte en heropname na ziekenhuisopname met covid-19.

OBJECTIVE: Hospitalization for corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be followed by complications after discharge. We aimed to evaluate mortality, readmission rate, and readmission characteristics after hospitalization with COVID-19. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study METHODS: Inclusion of all patients hospitalized for COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and June 1, 2020 in Zuyderland Medical Centre, The Netherlands. Main outcome measures were mortality and readmission after hospitalization. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis were performed to identify risk factors for death and readmission. RESULTS: A total of 769 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (mean age 70 ± 14 years; 39% female) were included in the study. In-hospital mortality was 22.4% , as such 596 patients were discharged alive and followed after discharge with a median of 80 days (IQR 66-91). Total mortality after discharge was 6.4% (n=38) and readmission rate was 11.7% (n=70). Main reasons for readmission were respiratory insufficiency (31%), arterial and venous thrombotic events (16%) or related to a chronic comorbidity (14%). Mortality rates were higher in older patients and patients who experienced delirium during hospital stay. Risk factors for readmission were male sex, discharge to a long-term care facility and COPD. CONCLUSION: 1 out of 6 COVID-19 positive patients died or was readmitted after discharge. This shows an ongoing vulnerability of COVID-19 patients. Physicians and policy makers should consider this high rate when making decisions on discharge, hospital-capacity planning, and patient monitoring after discharge.

Risk stratification for short-term mortality at hospital admission for acute exacerbations of COPD.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ECOPD) are associated with increased in-hospital and short-term mortality. Developing an easy-to-use model to predict adverse outcomes will be useful in daily clinical practice and will facilitate management decisions. We aimed to assess mortality rates and potential predictors for short-term mortality after severe ECOPD. Classification and Regression Tree (CART) model was used to identify predictors of adverse outcome. METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort study, including all patients admitted to Maastricht University Medical Center with ECOPD between June 2011 and December 2014 was performed. The last admission was taken into account, and its demographic, clinical and biochemical data were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 364 hospitalized patients were enrolled. Mean (SD) age was 70.5 (10.2) years, 54.4% were male and mean FEV1 45.2% (17.7) of predicted. The in-hospital and 90-day mortality were, respectively, 8.5 and 16.2%. Independent risk factors for 90-day mortality were: PaC02 (odds ratio (OR): 1.31; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-0.35), age (OR: 1.09; CI: 0.06-0.11), body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 kg/m2 (OR: 2.72; 95% CI: 0.53-1.47) and previous admission for ECOPD in last 2 years (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: -0.14, -0.65). The CART model selected PaCO2 ≥ 9.1 kPa, age > 80 years, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 and previous admission for ECOPD as the most discriminatory factors. CONCLUSION: According CART analysis, high PaCO2 and age, low BMI and previous admission for ECOPD in last 2 years were the strongest predictors of 90-day mortality in patients with severe ECOPD. In absence of any of these factors, no patients died, suggesting that this model indeed enables risk stratification.