Age and chronic disease were associated with death among older COVID-19 patients in New York City, according to a new study.
Between March 2 and April 1, 1,150 adults were admitted with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 to two Manhattan hospitals: the 700-bed Milstein Hospital and the 230-bed Allen Hospital. Almost a quarter of those patients (22%) were critically ill.
“Consistent with reports from Italy and China, older age and cardiopulmonary comorbidities were associated with increased mortality,” write the authors of a new paper in The Lancet.
The research focused on 257 critically ill adults:
- 67% were men.
- 62% were Hispanic.
- 82% had at least one chronic condition.
- 46% of patients were obese.
As of April 28:
- 39% of patients had died.
- 37% remained hospitalized.
- 45% initially received non-invasive respiratory support.
- 79% patients received invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) for a median of 18 days.
- Survivors had a median of 27 days of IMV.
- Non-survivors had a median of 10 days of IMV.
Death occurred in:
- 20 (41%) of the 49 black or African American patients.
- 61 (38%) of the 159 Hispanic or Latino patients.
- 15 (47%) of the 32 white patients.
Most deaths occurred in patients who were at least 50 years of age. A quarter (23%) of patients were discharged alive. Of these patients, 21% required supplemental oxygen, and 2% were transferred to another institution.
The Lancet study looked at hospitals that drew heavily from predominantly Hispanic and African American neighborhoods. White patients who are not Hispanic came to the hospital after 3 days of symptoms, on average, while Hispanics arrived after 5 days on average and African Americans after 7 days.