Temporal trends in hospitalizations and 30-day mortality in older patients during the COVID pandemic from March 2020 to July 2021

ImportancePrevious reports have suggested reductions in mortality risk from COVID-19 throughout the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mortality changes later in the pandemic and pandemic effects on other types of geriatric hospitalizations are less studied.ObjectivesTo describe the changes in hospitalizations and 30-day mortality in Stockholm for patients 70+ receiving inpatient geriatric care for COVID-19 and other causes.DesignObservational study. For patients 70 or older, we present the incidence of 30-day mortality from COVID-19 in the Stockholm region, in relationship to geriatric hospitalizations and 30-day mortality after admission for COVID-19 and other causes.SettingHospitalizations for patients 70+ from geriatric clinics in Stockholm, Sweden hospitalized for COVID-19 or other causes between March 2020 and July 31, 2021, were included.ParticipantsThe total number of geriatric hospitalizations for patients 70+ was 5,320 for COVID-19 and 32,243 for non-COVID-19 causes, corresponding to 4,565 individual COVID-19 patients and 19,308 non-COVID-19 patients.Exposure(s)The date of hospital admission to a geriatric clinic. Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s): 30-day mortality after admission.ResultsIn patients with COVID-19, the 30-day mortality rate was highest at the beginning of the first wave (29% in March-April 2020), decreased as the first wave subsided (7% July-August), increased again in the second wave (17% November-December), but failed to increase as much in the third wave (11-13% March-July 2021). In non-COVID-19 geriatric patients during the same period, the 30-day mortality presented a similar trend, but with a smaller magnitude of variation (5 to 10%). The number of persons 70 or older testing positive for COVID-19 in Stockholm reached two peaks in 2020 (April and December), fell in January 2021 and then increased again in March-April 2021.Conclusions and RelevanceDuring the first and second waves, hospital admissions and 30-day mortality after geriatric hospitalization for COVID-19 increased in periods of high community transmission, although the mortality peak was lower in wave 2 than in wave 1. The mortality for non-COVID geriatric cases was lower and more stable but also showed an increase with the pandemic peaks.KEY POINTSQuestionMultiple previous reports in different countries and settings have shown higher case fatality ratio or hospitalized case fatality ratio for COVID-19 in the first wave compared to the second wave of the pandemic. However, less is known about how the COVID-19 waves specifically affected the care of geriatric patients, including those with conditions other than COVID.FindingsThe total number of hospitalizations was 5,320 for COVID-19 and 32,243 for non-COVID-cases. In COVID-patients, the 30-day mortality rate was highest at the beginning of the first wave (29% in March-April 2020), reached 17% at the second wave peak (November-December) followed by 11-13% in the third wave (March-July 2021). The mortality in non-COVID geriatric patients showed a similar trend, but of lower magnitude (5-10%). During the incidence peaks, COVID-19 hospitalizations displaced non-COVID geriatric patients.MeaningHospital admissions and 30-day mortality after hospitalizations for COVID-19 increased in periods of high community transmission, albeit with decreasing mortality rates from wave 1 to 3, with a possible vaccination effect in wave 3. Thus, the healthcare system could not compensate for the high community spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic peaks, which also led to displacing care for non-COVID geriatric patients. These results are important for planning healthcare resources in future health emergencies.