Mortality Risk Factors for Coronavirus Infection in Hospitalized Adults in Brazil: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented high morbidity and mortality, with associated high socioeconomic costs. Brazil ranks third in the number of COVID-19 cases, behind only India and the United States. Objective: To analyze risk factors for mortality in adults hospitalized with COVID-19 in Brazil. Methods: Observational retrospective cohort study including data from all Brazilian states and regions. The study included information from 468,226 in-hospital patients from all regions of Brazil from 1 January 2021 to 31 July 2021. Data from the influenza epidemiological surveillance system were used. The participants were adults hospitalized with COVID-19. A Cox regression model was used to analyze factors associated with mortality in adults with COVID-19. Results: The in-hospital mortality lethality was 37.5%. The risk factors associated with COVID-19 mortality were older age, with a linear increase with increments in age, male sex, black or mixed race, low education level, comorbidities, use of ventilatory support, and living in the southeast, north, or northeast regions of the country. Conclusions: Our results illustrate the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and reinforce that policies and practices to deal with this disease should focus on groups and regions with higher risk, whereas public policies should promote nonpharmacological measures and vaccination in the Brazilian population.

Profile and Outcomes of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients during the Prevalence of the Omicron Variant According to the Brazilian Regions: A Retrospective Cohort Study from 2022

“…The present study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical profile of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the five macro-regions of Brazil in order to identify the most vulnerable subgroups during the predominance of the Omicron variant/subvariants hitting Brazil throughout 2022. In agreement with previous studies [10,21,22,33], elderly people aged 60 years and older with comorbidities (mainly cardiovascular disease and diabetes) are more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19. Regarding vaccine status, it was possible to observe a significantly high rate of patients with zero to one dose who were hospitalized, as well as a significant rate of patients, mainly elderly, with complete/booster vaccination, suggesting a decline in vaccine-induced immunity over time and/or the escape of the Omicron variant/subvariants.…”