TY - JOUR
AU - Mustafa, Zia Ul
AU - Tariq, Sania
AU - Iftikhar, Zobia
AU - Meyer, Johanna C.
AU - Salman, Muhammad
AU - Mallhi, Tauqeer Hussain
AU - Khan, Yusra Habib
AU - Godman, Brian
AU - Seaton, R. Andrew
PY - 2022
DA - December
TI - Predictors and outcomes of healthcare associated infections among patients with COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units in Punjab, Pakistan; findings and implications
JO - Antibiotics
AB - Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have a considerable impact on morbidity, mortality and costs. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an appreciable number of hospitalized patients being admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) globally with a greater risk of HAIs. Consequently, a need to evaluate predictors and outcomes of HAIs among COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs. A retrospective study of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICUs of three tertiary care hospi-tals in the Punjab province over a five-month period in 2021 was undertaken to ascertain pre-dictors and outcomes of HAIs. Of 4534 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 678 were admitted to ICUs, of whom 636 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Overall, 67 HAIs were identified among admitted patients. Ventilator-associated lower respiratory tract infections and catheter related urinary tract infections were the most frequent HAIs. A significantly higher number of patients who developed HAIs were on anticoagulants (p = 0.003), antithrombotic agents (p &lt; 0.001), anti-virals (p &lt; 0.001) and IL-6 inhibiting agents (p &lt; 0.001). Secondary infections were significantly higher in patients who were on invasive mechanical ventilation (p &lt; 0.001), had central venous access (p = 0.023), and urinary catheters (p &lt; 0.001). The mortality rate was significantly higher in those with secondary infections (25.8% vs 1.2%, p &lt; 0.001). Our study concluded that COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU have a high prevalence of HAIs associated with greater mortality. Key factors need to be addressed to reduce HAIs.
PB - MDPI
UR - https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/83437/
KW - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
KW - Healthcare associated infection
KW - Hospital care
ER