Clinical characteristics of critically ill patients hospitalised with COVID-19 with and without palliative consultation and impact of palliative care on clinical outcomes (propensity score matching)
| A. Clinical characteristics of critically ill patients hospitalised with COVID-19 | ||||
| Characteristics | All patients | Palliative care | Without palliative care | P value |
| (n=151) | (n=59) | (n=92) | ||
| Mean age (years)* | 62.63±15.54 | 71.24±12.44 | 57.20±14.87 | <0.001 |
| Sex—no (%) | ||||
| Male | 103 (68.21) | 38 (64.41) | 65 (70.65) | 0.48 |
| Female | 48 (31.79) | 21 (35.59) | 27 (29.35) | |
| Race†—no (%) | ||||
| White | 38 (25.16) | 17 (28.81) | 21 (22.83) | 0.42 |
| Black | 43 (28.48) | 17 (28.81) | 26 (28.26) | 0.94 |
| Asian | 6 (3.97) | 2 (3.4) | 4 (4.35) | 0.76 |
| Hispanic | 52 (34.44) | 17 (28.81) | 35 (38.04) | 0.24 |
| Other | 12 (7.95) | 6 (10.17) | 6 (6.52) | 0.42 |
| Insurance—no (%) | ||||
| Medicaid | 21 (13.91) | 5 (8.47) | 16 (17.39) | 0.1 |
| Medicare | 58 (38.41) | 36 (61.02) | 22 (23.91) | <0.001 |
| Private | 46 (30.46) | 13 (22.03) | 33 (35.87) | 0.06 |
| Uninsured | 26 (17.22) | 5 (8.47) | 21 (22.83) | 0.02 |
| Body mass index (range) | 33.19±9.29 | 33.79±9.21 | 32.81±9.37 | 0.52 |
| Symptoms—no (%) | ||||
| Dyspnoea | 120 (79.47) | 45 (76.27) | 75 (81.52) | 0.45 |
| Dry cough | 111 (73.51) | 41 (69.49) | 70 (76.09) | 0.38 |
| Fever | 101 (66.89) | 38 (64.41) | 63 (68.48) | 0.61 |
| Duration of symptoms prior to ED visit (days)* | 6.39±4.13 | 5.77±3.85 | 6.78±4.27 | 0.15 |
| Comorbidities (%) | ||||
| Hypertension | 92 (60.93) | 42 (71.19) | 50 (54.35) | 0.03 |
| Hyperlipidaemia | 59 (39.07) | 24 (40.68) | 35 (38.04) | 0.75 |
| Diabetes | 53 (35.10) | 26 (44.07) | 27 (29.35) | 0.07 |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index—no (%) | ||||
| 0 | 21 (13.91) | 3 (5.08) | 18 (19.57) | 0.005 |
| 1 | 22 (14.57) | 2 (3.39) | 20 (21.74) | <0.001 |
| 2 | 21 (13.91) | 8 (13.56) | 13 (14.13) | 0.92 |
| 3+ | 87 (57.62) | 46 (77.97) | 41 (44.57) | 0.001 |
| Treatments—no (%) | ||||
| On admission | ||||
| Antibiotics | 135 (93.10) | 52 (91.23) | 83 (94.32) | 0.52 |
| Fluids | 89 (62.68) | 36 (66.67) | 53 (60.23) | 0.48 |
| Adjuvant therapy | ||||
| Hydroxychloroquine + azithromycin | 136 (90.07) | 54 (91.53) | 82 (89.13) | 0.78 |
| Tocilizumab | 64 (42.38) | 21 (35.59) | 43 (46.74) | 0.24 |
| Corticosteroids | 70 (46.36) | 23 (38.98) | 47 (51.09) | 0.18 |
| ICU Course | ||||
| NIPPV | 57 (37.75) | 9 (15.25) | 48 (52.17) | <0.001 |
| IMV | 94 (62.25) | 50 (84.75) | 44 (47.83) | <0.001 |
| Vasopressors (shock) | 78 (53.79) | 44 (80.00) | 34 (37.78) | <0.001 |
| Renal replacement therapy | 38 (25.17) | 19 (32.20) | 19 (20.65) | 0.13 |
| Clinical outcome—no (%) | ||||
| Discharged | 66 (43.71) | 10 (16.95) | 56 (60.87) | <0.001 |
| Died | 85 (56.29) | 49 (83.05) | 36 (39.13) | <0.001 |
| B. Impact of palliative care on length of stay in critically ill patients hospitalised with COVID-19 (propensity score matching) | ||||
| Characteristics | OR | SD | 95% CI | P value |
| Length of hospital stay | ||||
| Days 5–9 | 1.15 | 0.76 | 0.31 to 4.24 | 0.83 |
| Days 10–14 | 0.89 | 0.48 | 0.31 to 2.60 | 0.84 |
| Days 15–19 | 1.34 | 0.71 | 0.48 to 3.78 | 0.57 |
| Days ≥20 | 2.1 | 1.22 | 0.67 to 6.60 | 0.2 |
| Length of ICU Stay | ||||
| Days 5–9 | 1.04 | 0.63 | 0.32 to 3.39 | 0.95 |
| Days 10–14 | 0.26 | 0.18 | 0.07 to 1.00 | 0.05 |
| Days 15–19 | 2.55 | 2.84 | 0.29 to 22.60 | 0.4 |
| Days ≥20 | 1.68 | 1.06 | 0.48 to 5.81 | 0.41 |
*Mean±SD (SD).
†Race and ethic group were reported by the patient.
ICU, intensive care unit; IMV, invasive mechanical ventilation; NIPPV, non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation.