The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of the pandemic on inpatient hospital admissions during the first wave in Portugal. Data from hospital admissions in mainland Portugal from 2008 to 2017 were used to forecast inpatient hospital admissions for March to May 2020. The observed number of hospitalizations and their characteristics were compared to forecasted values. Variations were compared by hospital and region. Statistical analysis was used to investigate whether patterns of variations existed according to hospital characteristics. There were 119,315 fewer hospitalizations than expected during March to May 2020 in Portugal, which represented a 57% reduction. Non-COVID-19 hospitalizations had a higher mean length of stay and proportion of inpatient deaths than forecasted values. Differences between observed and forecasted values varied greatly among regions and hospitals. These variations were not associated with COVID-19 hospital admissions, region, forecasted number of hospitalizations, type of hospital, or occupation rate. The impact on inpatient hospital admissions for each hospital was not consistent or proportional to the expected use across Portugal, as indicated by variations between forecasted and observed values. The appropriate planning of future responses may contribute to improving the necessary balance between the level of hospital admissions for usual health needs of the population and the response to COVID-19 patients.
Introduction: Maternal mortality and morbidity are important indicators of the quality of health-care services. Obstetric admissions to an intensive care unit may be considered a marker of maternal morbidity. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, maternal morbidity and mortality of pregnant and postpartum women who required admission to the intensive care unit.Material and Methods: Retrospective analysis of all the obstetric patients admitted to the intensive care unit between 2000 and 2017. Results: Ninety-three women required admission to intensive care (0.7 per 1000 deliveries, 0.8% of all adult admissions). Mean age was 30.3 years, mean gestational age was 33.6 weeks, 51 (54.8%) were primiparous, nine (9.7%) were pregnant of twins and five (5.4%) had not been followed during pregnancy. Eighty-four (90.3%) were admitted after immediate delivery. The most common reasons for admission were hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (35.5%) and obstetric haemorrhage (24.7%). Median length of stay was five days. Transfusion of blood products was needed in 23 (57.0%), artificial ventilation in 50 (53.8%) and use of vasopressors in 21 (22.6%). We observed four maternal deaths (4.3%). Most patients (95.7%) successfully recovered and were transferred to other departments. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was significantly associated with maternal mortality.Discussion: Our results are comparable to those obtained in other studies. Maternal mortality was comparable to maternal mortality in developed countries.Conclusion: The incidence of obstetric admissions to the intensive care unit was 0.8% and 0.7 per 1000 deliveries. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were the main causes of admission. Maternal mortality was 4.3%. Studies of maternal morbidity are important and can help to improve the quality of health care services.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.