Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of Respiratory Failure in a Cohort of Young Patients Requiring Hospital Admission with SARS-CoV2 Infection in Spain: Results of the Multicenter SEMI-COVID-19 Registry.

BACKGROUND: Age is a risk factor for COVID severity. Most studies performed in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV2 infection have shown an over-representation of older patients and consequently few have properly defined COVID-19 in younger patients who require hospital admission. The aim of the present study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors for the development of respiratory failure among young (18 to 50 years) hospitalized patients with COVID-19. METHODS: This retrospective nationwide cohort study included hospitalized patients from 18 to 50 years old with confirmed COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and July 2, 2020. All patient data were obtained from the SEMI-COVID Registry. Respiratory failure was defined as the ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2 ratio) ≤200 mmHg or the need for mechanical ventilation and/or high-flow nasal cannula or the presence of acute respiratory distress syndrome. RESULTS: During the recruitment period, 15,034 patients were included in the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry, of whom 2327 (15.4%) were younger than 50 years. Respiratory failure developed in 343 (14.7%), while mortality occurred in 2.3%. Patients with respiratory failure showed a higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events (44 (13%) vs 14 (0.8%), p<0.001), venous thrombosis (23 (6.7%) vs 14 (0.8%), p<0.001), mortality (43 (12.5%) vs 7 (0.4%), p<0.001), and longer hospital stay (15 (9-24) vs 6 (4-9), p<0.001), than the remaining patients. In multivariate analysis, variables associated with the development of respiratory failure were obesity (odds ratio (OR), 2.42; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.71 to 3.43; p<0.0001), alcohol abuse (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.26 to 4.58; p=0.0076), sleep apnea syndrome (SAHS) (OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.07 to 3.43; p=0.032), Charlson index ≥1 (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.25 to 2.52; p=0.0013), fever (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.13 to 2.22; p=0.0075), lymphocytes ≤1100 cells/µL (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.18 to 2.37; p=0.0033), LDH >320 U/I (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.18 to 2.42; p=0.0039), AST >35 mg/dL (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.52; p=0.003), sodium <135 mmol/L (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.24 to 4.33; p=0.0079), and C-reactive protein >8 mg/dL (OR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.72 to 3.41; p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Young patients with COVID-19 requiring hospital admission showed a notable incidence of respiratory failure. Obesity, SAHS, alcohol abuse, and certain laboratory parameters were independently associated with the development of this complication. Patients who suffered respiratory failure had a higher mortality and a higher incidence of major cardiac events, venous thrombosis, and hospital stay.

Evolution of the Use of Corticosteroids for the Treatment of Hospitalised COVID-19 Patients in Spain between March and November 2020: SEMI-COVID National Registry.

OBJECTIVES: Since the results of the RECOVERY trial, WHO recommendations about the use of corticosteroids (CTs) in COVID-19 have changed. The aim of the study is to analyse the evolutive use of CTs in Spain during the pandemic to assess the potential influence of new recommendations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive, and observational study was conducted on adults hospitalised due to COVID-19 in Spain who were included in the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry from March to November 2020. RESULTS: CTs were used in 6053 (36.21%) of the included patients. The patients were older (mean (SD)) (69.6 (14.6) vs. 66.0 (16.8) years; p < 0.001), with hypertension (57.0% vs. 47.7%; p < 0.001), obesity (26.4% vs. 19.3%; p < 0.0001), and multimorbidity prevalence (20.6% vs. 16.1%; p < 0.001). These patients had higher values (mean (95% CI)) of C-reactive protein (CRP) (86 (32.7-160) vs. 49.3 (16-109) mg/dL; p < 0.001), ferritin (791 (393-1534) vs. 470 (236-996) µg/dL; p < 0.001), D dimer (750 (430-1400) vs. 617 (345-1180) µg/dL; p < 0.001), and lower Sp02/Fi02 (266 (91.1) vs. 301 (101); p < 0.001). Since June 2020, there was an increment in the use of CTs (March vs. September; p < 0.001). Overall, 20% did not receive steroids, and 40% received less than 200 mg accumulated prednisone equivalent dose (APED). Severe patients are treated with higher doses. The mortality benefit was observed in patients with oxygen saturation