Data published on patients admitted to intensive care and high dependency units with COVID-19 in Scotland

Today, we have published the fifth release on data from the Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group (SICSAG). The data covers patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) and high dependency units (HDUs) across Scotland with COVID-19. The report describes the admission frequency, demographics, activity and outcomes for patients.

It shows that during the period 1 March 2020 to 30 January 2021, there were 1,538 admissions to ICUs in Scotland with laboratory confirmed COVID-19.

Mortality measured at 30-days after ICU admission was not significantly different between the two waves (38% in wave 1, 36% in wave 2). In wave 2 a higher proportion of patients were managed with non-invasive ventilation on admission to ICU (16% in wave 1 compared with 54% in wave 2) with a corresponding reduction in the use of advanced respiratory support (64% in wave 1, 36% in wave 2).

There were 1,004 patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 disease admitted to HDUs. Of these, 791 were admitted in wave 2. In wave 2, 30-day mortality was lower in HDU patients compared with ICU patients (30% compared with 36%).

Nazir Lone, SICSAG Chair said:

"The numbers of people being admitted to ICU to HCU as a result of COIVD-19 is a stark reminder of the danger of this particular virus and the importance of gaining knowledge and understanding of how to treat it.

"Our report shows how people working in ICU and HDU units have had to expand and adapt their services to meet the needs of patients contracting COVID-19. These reports used to be presented on an annual basis. We have adapted our reporting so that we can present clinicians with information that is useful and timely for them in operating their services. SICSAG transformed its systems to do this, and to provide daily data, since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. We will continue to monitor this as we move through the pandemic, and provide the data needed from ICUs and HDUs to inform decisions on managing the pandemic".

The Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group (SICSAG) is the national adult critical care audit and quality assurance programme. It benefits from a close collaboration between the Scottish Intensive Care Society and Public Health Scotland. The audit has complete, national coverage of all admissions to intensive care units (ICUs) and combined critical care units in Scotland.

Read the Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group report on COVID-19 (external website)

For the full analysis, please see our Weekly COVID-19 Statistical report.