Table 2.
Description of African COVID-19 critical care cohort
| All patients (n=3140) | Patients who died (n=1483) | Patients who survived (n=1594) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | ||||
| Mean (SD) | 56 (16·11) | 58·74 (15·74) | 52·68 (15·88) | <0·0001 |
| Age quartiles, years | ||||
| 18–45 | 832/3072 (27·1%) | 302/1480 (20·4%) | 530/1592 (33·3%) | <0·0001 |
| 46–56 | 713/3072 (23·2%) | 317/1480 (21·4%) | 396/1592 (24·9%) | .. |
| 57–67 | 769/3072 (25·0%) | 409/1480 (27·6%) | 360/1592 (22·6%) | .. |
| >67 | 758/3072 (24·7%) | 452/1480 (19·2%) | 306/1592 (19·2%) | .. |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 1890/3118 (60·6%) | 902/1481 (60·9%) | 966/1593 (60·6%) | 0·883 |
| Female | 1228/3118 (39·4%) | 579/1481 (39·1%) | 627/1593 (39·4%) | .. |
| Body-mass index categories | ||||
| <25 | 397/1596 (24·9%) | 169/715 (23·6%) | 221/851 (26·0%) | 0·030 |
| 25–29·9 | 548/1596 (34·3%) | 239/715 (33·4%) | 300/851 (35·3%) | .. |
| 30–34·9 | 353/1596 (22·1%) | 151/715 (21·1%) | 198/851 (23·3%) | .. |
| 35–39·9 | 154/1596 (9·6%) | 82/715 (11·5%) | 65/851 (7·6%) | .. |
| ≥40 | 144/1596 (9·0%) | 74/715 (10·3%) | 67/851 (7·9%) | .. |
| Missing | 1544 | 768/1511 (50·8%) | 743/1511 (49·2%) | .. |
| Comorbidities | ||||
| Coronary artery disease | 237/3093 (7·7%) | 128/1469 (8·7%) | 109/1586 (6·9%) | 0·058 |
| Congestive heart failure | 209/3087 (6·8%) | 100/1465 (6·8%) | 106/1584 (6·7%) | 0·885 |
| Hypertension | 1572/3104 (50·6%) | 794/1476 (53·8%) | 759/1588 (47·8%) | 0·001 |
| Stroke or transient ischaemic attack | 139/3088 (4·5%) | 77/1465 (5·3%) | 62/1584 (3·9%) | 0·082 |
| Diabetes | 1175/3090 (38·0%) | 623/1471 (42·4%) | 542/1582 (34·3%) | <0·0001 |
| Cancer | 96/3088 (3·1%) | 49/1466 (3·3%) | 45/1586 (2·8%) | 0·463 |
| Current smoker | 140/3078 (4·5%) | 56/1458 (3·8%) | 80/1581 (5·1%) | 0·114 |
| Chronic lung disease | 216/3088 (7·0%) | 105/1465 (7·2%) | 108/1586 (6·8%) | 0·722 |
| Active tuberculosis | 51/3084 (1·7%) | 30/1462 (2·1%) | 20/1583 (1·3%) | 0·116 |
| Chronic liver disease | 46/3086 (1·5%) | 29/1465 (2·0%) | 17/1585 (1·1%) | 0·052 |
| HIV/AIDS | 237/3084 (7·7%) | 149/1460 (10·2%) | 86/1587 (5·4%) | <0·0001 |
| Antiretroviral therapy | 180/273 (65·9%) | 115/175 (65·7%) | 64/96 (66·7%) | 0·894 |
| Chronic malaria or malaria within 3 months | 190/3089 (6·2%) | 60/1465 (4·1%) | 130/1586 (8·2%) | <0·0001 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 241/3085 (7·7%) | 149/1465 (10·2%) | 90/1585 (5·7%) | <0·0001 |
| Condition at admission | ||||
| Cardiorespiratory arrest in 24 h before critical care referral | 100/3086 (3·2%) | 77/1467 (5·2%) | 22/1583 (1·4%) | 0·001 |
| Organ support required at admission | ||||
| Respiratory support | 2743/3102 (11·6%) | 1375/1479 (93·0%) | 1332/1587 (83·9%) | <0·0001 |
| Cardiovascular support | 609/296 (19·4%) | 451/1396 (32·3%) | 155/1537 (10·1%) | <0·0001 |
| Renal support | 282/3072 (9·2%) | 185/1462 (12·7%) | 95/1581 (6·0%) | <0·0001 |
| Other support | 510/3024 (16·9%) | 217/1432 (15·2%) | 293/1568 (18·7%) | 0·011 |
| Number of organ systems requiring support | ||||
| No organ system | 271/3066 (8·8%) | 92/1479 (6·2%) | 179/1587 (11·3%) | <0·0001 |
| One organ system | 1816/3066 (59·2%) | 797/1479 (53·9%) | 1019/1587 (64·2%) | .. |
| Two organ systems | 705/3066 (23·0%) | 389/1479 (26·3%) | 316/1587 (19·9%) | .. |
| Three organ systems | 219/3066 (7·1%) | 151/1479 (10·2%) | 68/1587 (4·3%) | .. |
| Four organ systems | 55/3066 (1·8%) | 50/1479 (3·4%) | 5/1587 (0·3%) | .. |
| Quick SOFA score on presentation | ||||
| SBP ≤100 mm Hg | 471/3088 (15·3%) | 326/1472 (22·1%) | 141/1576 (8·9%) | <0·0001 |
| Respiratory rate ≥22 breaths per min | 2502/3085 (81·1%) | 1237/1468 (84·3%) | 1235/1578 (78·3%) | <0·0001 |
| Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤14 | 850/3072 (27·7%) | 588/1459 (40·3%) | 253/1574 (16·1%) | <0·0001 |
| Quick SOFA score | ||||
| No risk factors | 395/3069 (12·9%) | 116/1458 (8·0%) | 275/1573 (16·1%) | <0·0001 |
| One risk factor | 1786/3069 (58·2%) | 744/1458 (51·0%) | 1015/1573 (64·5%) | .. |
| Two risk factors | 641/3069 (20·9%) | 395/1458 (27·1%) | 240/1573 (15·3%) | .. |
| Three risk factors | 247/3069 (8·0%) | 203/1458 (13·9%) | 43/1573 (2·7%) | .. |
| Full SOFA score on admission | 4 (3–6) | 5 (4–8) | 4 (2–5) | <0·0001 |
| Full SOFA score missing data | 2136 | .. | .. | .. |
| Intensive care unit resources | ||||
| Admission delayed because of shortage of resources (eg, bed and staffing) | 248/2947 (8·4%) | 146/1382 (10·6%) | 100/1530 (6·5%) | 0·0001 |
| Nurse-to-patient ratio | 0·5 (0·25–1·00) | 0·5 (0·33–1·00) | 0·5 (0·25-0·67) | <0·0001 |
| Ability to provide invasive ventilation for patient if required | 2780/3091 (87·7%) | 1361/1470 (92·6%) | 1319/1585 (83·2%) | <0·0001 |
| Physician available on site 24 h/7 days a week | 2760/3084 (89·5%) | 1353/1463 (92·5%) | 1376/1583 (86·9%) | <0·0001 |
| Respiratory support (ie, highest level of support) | ||||
| None | 421/2995 (14·1%) | 237/1416 (16·7%) | 182/1546 (11·8%) | <0·0001 |
| Oxygen mask | 1352/2995 (43·1%) | 489/1416 (34·5%) | 860/1546 (55·6%) | .. |
| High-flow nasal oxygenation | 589/2995 (19·7%) | 293/1416 (20·7%) | 274/1546 (17·7%) | .. |
| CPAP | 633/2995 (21·1%) | 397/1416 (28·0%) | 230/1546 (14·9%) | .. |
| Prone ventilation | ||||
| None | 1516/2826 (53·6%) | 664/1305 (50·9%) | 846/1503 (56·3%) | <0·0001 |
| Not ventilated | 989/2826 (35·0%) | 396/1305 (30·3%) | 581/1503 (38·7%) | .. |
| Invasive mechanical ventilation | 321/2826 (11·4%) | 245/1305 (18·8%) | 76/1503 (5·1%) | .. |
| Ventilatory support | ||||
| None | 1358/2902 (46·8%) | 298/1384 (21·5%) | 1053/1494 (70·5%) | <0·0001 |
| Non-invasive ventilation | 380/2902 (13·1%) | 168/1384 (12·1%) | 206/1494 (13·8%) | .. |
| Invasive mechanical ventilation | 1164/2902 (40·1%) | 918/1384 (66·3%) | 235/1494 (15·7%) | .. |
| Intubation | ||||
| No | 1896/3062 (61·9%) | 532/1458 (36·5%) | 1346/1576 (85·4%) | <0·0001 |
| Yes (elective) | 385/3062 (12·6%) | 293/1458 (20·1%) | 90/1576 (5·7%) | .. |
| Yes (emergency) | 781/3062 (25·5%) | 633/1458 (43·4%) | 140/1576 (8·9%) | .. |
| Inotropes or vasoconstrictors | 931/3086 (30·2%) | 748/1472 (50·8%) | 179/1587 (11·3%) | <0·0001 |
| Dialysis | 330/3073 (10·7%) | 177/1467 (12·1%) | 150/1579 (9·5%) | 0·022 |
| Therapeutic anticoagulation | 2430/3084 (78·8) | 1218/1478 (82·4%) | 1188/1579 (75·2%) | <0·0001 |
| Steroid therapy | 2519/3011 (83·7%) | 1211/1430 (84·7%) | 1281/1552 (82·5%) | 0·125 |
| Repurposed or experimental COVID-19 drug therapy | 367/2937 (12·5%) | 122/1367 (8·9%) | 243/1549 (15·7%) | <0·0001 |
| Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (if available) | 7/862 (0·8%) | 5/359 (1·4%) | 2/501 (0·4%) | 0·110 |
Data are mean (SD), n (%), n (proportion), or median (IQR). Odds ratios were constructed for in-hospital mortality with univariate binary logistic regression analysis. CPAP=continuous positive airway pressure. SBP=systolic blood pressure. SOFA=sequential organ failure assessment.