Jessica Luo1, Sujee Jeyapalina2, Gregory J Stoddard3, Alvin C Kwok1, Jayant P Agarwal4. 1. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 2. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Research, George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 3. Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 4. Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Research, George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Electronic address: jay.agarwal@hsc.utah.edu.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Veterans represent a significant proportion of the USA population (7%), and the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in this group of vulnerable patients has been largely overlooked. This analysis reports COVID-19 patient demographics, infection, mortality, and case-fatality rates in the veteran population. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional analysis using the VA informatics and computing infrastructure tool to assess the veterans' COVID-19 infections at the Veterans Affairs facilities from March 4th to June 23rd, 2020. RESULTS: Of the 10,621,580 veterans in this analysis, 59.7% were >65yo, 92.5% were male, 68.7% were white, and 14.2% were black. Veterans >65yo comprised 52.1% of cases and 89.9% of deaths. The relative mortality and case-fatality rates of black veterans, when compared to white veterans, were 2.83 (CI 2.56 - 3.14; p<0.001) and 0.75 (CI 0.68 - 0.82; p<0.001), respectively. Among the veterans who died from COVID-19, 87.4% had a history of cardiovascular disease, 56.5% had a history of diabetes, and 33.6% were obese. CONCLUSION: Elderly veterans (>65yo) and veterans with a history of cardiovascular disease represent a large proportion of the VA COVID-19 cases and deaths. Black veterans had higher mortality rates, but lower case fatality rates when compared to white veterans. Published by Elsevier Inc.
PURPOSE: Veterans represent a significant proportion of the USA population (7%), and the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in this group of vulnerable patients has been largely overlooked. This analysis reports COVID-19patient demographics, infection, mortality, and case-fatality rates in the veteran population. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional analysis using the VA informatics and computing infrastructure tool to assess the veterans' COVID-19infections at the Veterans Affairs facilities from March 4th to June 23rd, 2020. RESULTS: Of the 10,621,580 veterans in this analysis, 59.7% were >65yo, 92.5% were male, 68.7% were white, and 14.2% were black. Veterans >65yo comprised 52.1% of cases and 89.9% of deaths. The relative mortality and case-fatality rates of black veterans, when compared to white veterans, were 2.83 (CI 2.56 - 3.14; p<0.001) and 0.75 (CI 0.68 - 0.82; p<0.001), respectively. Among the veterans who died from COVID-19, 87.4% had a history of cardiovascular disease, 56.5% had a history of diabetes, and 33.6% were obese. CONCLUSION: Elderly veterans (>65yo) and veterans with a history of cardiovascular disease represent a large proportion of the VA COVID-19 cases and deaths. Black veterans had higher mortality rates, but lower case fatality rates when compared to white veterans. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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