The impact of systemic sclerosis on hospitalized COVID-19 patients: Analysis of the US nationwide inpatient sample (2021).

BACKGROUND

The study was conducted to investigate the impact of systemic sclerosis (SSc) on hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

METHOD

This retrospective observational study analyzed data from the National Inpatient Survey (NIS) in 2021. Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were categorized into SSc and non-SSc groups. Characteristics of patients and comorbidities were compared. The primary outcome was the mortality rate. Secondary outcomes included resource utilization and acute in-hospital complications of SSc. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted, with -values < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

RESULT

Of all, 1865 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had SSc. Patients with SSc had a higher mortality risk (aOR = 1.37 [1.03-1.82];  = 0.032). The average cost of hospitalization was significantly higher in the SSc group ( = 0.048), with no difference in LOS (9.4 ± 0.65 days vs 8.4 ± 0.03 days;  = 0.260). COVID-19 patients with SSc significantly had a higher risk for DIC (aOR 2.82 [1.06-7.53];  = 0.038), left-sided HF (aOR 1.76 [1.16-2.67];  = 0.008), ventricular arrhythmia (aOR 3.17 [1.01-9.89];  = 0.047), oxygen dependence (aOR 2.41 [1.64-3.55];  < 0.001), cardiac arrest (aOR 2.61 [1.63-4.18];  < 0.001), and ileus (aOR 2.61 [1.45-4.69];  = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Hospitalized COVID-19 patients with SSc were more likely to develop in-hospital complications and had a higher mortality risk.