Michael C Downey1, Madison R Hoover2, Matthew E Prekker3,4, Robert R Kempainen5. 1. Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. 2. Chronic Disease Research Group, Minneapolis, MN, USA. 3. Department of Emergency Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, MN, USA. 4. Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Mail Stop G5, 701 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA. 5. Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Mail Stop G5, 701 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA. Robert.Kempainen@hcmed.org.
Abstract
PURPOSE: This investigation sought to compare admissions, length of stay, and mortality among medical intensive care unit (MICU) patients without coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection admitted to an urban safety-net hospital during the pandemic by patients' self-identified race and ethnicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study comparing MICU admissions before and during the first surge of COVID-19 illness at an urban, safety-net hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota. RESULTS: MICU admissions declined from a pre-pandemic average of 968 to 761 during the first COVID surge, including 627 patients (82%) without COVID-19 infection. MICU mortality among patients without COVID-19 infection during the pandemic was 12.8% compared to 9.6% in the pre-pandemic period (p = 0.045). However, rates of non-COVID-19 MICU admissions, mortality, volume, and length of stay did not differ by race and ethnicity between time periods. Of the 131 MICU admissions with COVID-19 infection, patients were more frequently Hispanic ethnicity (24%) or Black (40%), and less frequently White (22%) compared to the pre-pandemic cohort (7%, 30%, and 48%, respectively [p < 0.001]). CONCLUSIONS: During the first COVID-19 surge, MICU admissions for non-COVID-19 disease decreased from pre-pandemic levels, but these patients experienced greater mortality. Unlike critically ill patients admitted with COVID-19 infection, admissions and hospital mortality did not differ by race and ethnicity compared to the pre-pandemic period.
PURPOSE: This investigation sought to compare admissions, length of stay, and mortality among medical intensive care unit (MICU) patients without coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection admitted to an urban safety-net hospital during the pandemic by patients' self-identified race and ethnicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study comparing MICU admissions before and during the first surge of COVID-19 illness at an urban, safety-net hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota. RESULTS: MICU admissions declined from a pre-pandemic average of 968 to 761 during the first COVID surge, including 627 patients (82%) without COVID-19 infection. MICU mortality among patients without COVID-19 infection during the pandemic was 12.8% compared to 9.6% in the pre-pandemic period (p = 0.045). However, rates of non-COVID-19 MICU admissions, mortality, volume, and length of stay did not differ by race and ethnicity between time periods. Of the 131 MICU admissions with COVID-19 infection, patients were more frequently Hispanic ethnicity (24%) or Black (40%), and less frequently White (22%) compared to the pre-pandemic cohort (7%, 30%, and 48%, respectively [p < 0.001]). CONCLUSIONS: During the first COVID-19 surge, MICU admissions for non-COVID-19 disease decreased from pre-pandemic levels, but these patients experienced greater mortality. Unlike critically ill patients admitted with COVID-19 infection, admissions and hospital mortality did not differ by race and ethnicity compared to the pre-pandemic period.
Authors: Fahad Marmarchi; Michael Liu; Srikant Rangaraju; Sara C Auld; Maria Christina Creel-Bulos; Christine L Kempton; Milad Sharifpour; Manila Gaddh; Roman Sniecinski; Cheryl L Maier; Fadi Nahab Journal: J Racial Ethn Health Disparities Date: 2021-01-19