Ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients with COVID-19

Table 1 Clinical and demographic features of reported populations

Parameter	COVID-19 (n = 81)	Non-COVID-19 (n = 144)	P value
Median age (IQR)	62 (50–70)	62 (49–72)	0.986
Sex (n (%) female)	25 (31%)	58 (40%)	0.254
Hypertension	27 (33%)	47 (33%)	0.96
Diabetes	18 (22%)	34 (24%)	0.72
Obesity	30 (37%)	34 (24%)	0.04
Chronic kidney disease	10 (12%)	13 (9%)	0.47
Chronic lung disease	16 (20%)	34 (24%)	0.38
Immunocompromised*	12 (15%)	36 (25%)	0.08
Corticosteroid use in ICU	13 (16%)	23 (16%)	0.99
Median APACHE II (IQR)	15 (11–19)	16 (12–20)	0.06
% With ARDS on ICU admission	63 (78%)	21 (15%)	< 0.0001
% Ventilated prone	40 (49%)	1 (0.7%)	< 0.0001
Median P/F ratio in 24 h following admission	18 (13–28)	34 (24–37)	< 0.0001
Antibiotics in 24 h following admission	76 (94%)	126 (88%)	0.23
Median ICU length of stay (IQR)	15 (11–25)	9 (4–13)	< 0.0001
Median duration of ventilation (IQR)	14 (10–23)	5 (2–11)	< 0.0001
% Developing suspected VAP	64 (79%)	48 (33%)	< 0.0001
% Developing microbiologically confirmed VAP	39 (48%)	19 (13%)	< 0.0001
% of suspected VAPs investigated by bronchoscopy and lavage	30 (47%^#)	23 (48%^##)	0.94
ICU mortality	31 (38%)	30 (21%)	0.006
Median length of stay for patients dying in ICU (IQR)	13 (10–17)	9 (6–11)	0.0019

P value by z-test for proportions and by Mann–Whitney U test for continuous variables
^*Immunocompromised patients were defined as having active haematological malignancy, neutropaenic malignancy, solid organ or bone marrow transplant and receipt of immunosuppressive medication including corticosteroids for > 1 week prior to hospital admission
^#4 cases not assessed by TAC due to lack of availability of laboratory capacity
^##1 case not assessed by TAC due to lack of availability of laboratory capacity
APACHE II, Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score; IQR, interquartile range

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