Clinical Characteristics of Patients in a Tertiary Non-COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit During the Pandemic: What Has Changed?

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted healthcare systems, necessitating rapid reallocation of resources, which significantly affected the management of non-COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) patients. This study aimed to examine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted to a tertiary non-COVID-19 ICU before and during the pandemic.
METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 528 patients admitted between March 2019 and March 2021. Patients were divided into pre-pandemic (Non-COVID group, n=196) and pandemic (COVID group, n=332) cohorts. Demographic data, comorbidities, ICU admission details, and outcomes were analyzed. Statistical analyses included t-tests, chi-square tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests, with significance set at p<0.05.
RESULTS: The mean patient age was 72 years, with a higher proportion of males in the Non-COVID group (57.7% vs. 48.8%, p=0.049). The COVID group had significantly shorter ICU stays (median 6 vs. 9 days, p=0.048) and higher emergency department admissions (77.7% vs. 42.3%, p<0.001). Comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease were significantly more common during the pandemic period (p<0.001). Despite these differences, ICU mortality rates remained consistently high (82.3%) across both periods.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The pandemic led to notable shifts in ICU admissions, with more critically ill patients presenting from emergency departments and with multiple comorbidities. Despite shorter ICU stays, high mortality rates persisted, underscoring the need for resilient critical care strategies during future health crises.