Patients who had been admitted to hospital with covid-19 had many more complications, and more serious ones, than patients with influenza, says a study from the US Veterans Health Administration. Patients with covid-19 were more likely than flu patients to need treatment in intensive care, had longer hospital stays, and were more likely to die.

“Certain racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected by covid-19 and … this discrepancy is not solely accounted for by age and underlying medical conditions,” the authors reported.

Until now data have been lacking to compare in-hospital complications of patients with covid-19 with patients with influenza, the authors said. The Veterans Health Administration has 1255 health facilities that provide services to nine million veterans, mostly men.
The study compared in-hospital complications experienced by 3948 patients with covid-19 who were admitted to hospital between 1 March and 31 May 31 with those of 5453 patients with flu admitted between 1 October 2018 and 1 February 2020. All infections were laboratory confirmed...

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are reported to be at risk for respiratory and nonrespiratory complications.

What is added by this report?

Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the Veterans Health Administration had a more than five times higher risk for in-hospital death and increased risk for 17 respiratory and nonrespiratory complications than did hospitalized patients with influenza. The risks for sepsis and respiratory, neurologic, and renal complications of COVID-19 were higher among non-Hispanic Black or African American and Hispanic patients than among non-Hispanic White patients.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Compared with influenza, COVID-19 is associated with increased risk for most respiratory and nonrespiratory complications. Certain racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionally affected by COVID-19.