Case characteristics, resource use, and outcomes of 10 021 patients with COVID-19 admitted to 920 German hospitals: an observational study
Of 10,021 hospitalised patients being treated in 920 different hospitals, mortality was high for patients receiving mechanical ventilation, particularly for patients aged 80 years or older and those requiring dialysis, and was considerably lower for patients younger than 60 years
Source:
The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
SPS commentary:
According to a commentary, these findings support the strong association of poor outcomes with demographic characteristics (older age and male sex) and comorbidities described in previous studies. It adds that though these findings could be considered disheartening, the findings presented were obtained during the first wave of COVID-19, when reliable data on the therapeutic effectiveness of potential treatments were scarce. It suggests that interventions such as early administration of remdesivir to patients not yet requiring mechanical ventilation and administration of dexamethasone later in the course of the disease to patients requiring supplemental oxygen or on mechanical ventilation could improve outcomes for future patients. It notes that despite these potential therapeutic advances, COVID-19 remains a life-threatening disease, even if sufficient resources for maximum intensive care therapy are available for all patients affected by the disease.