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Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d'anesthésie

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26-07-2022 | Vaccination | Reports of Original Investigations

Avoidable intensive care unit resource use and costs of unvaccinated patients with COVID-19: a historical population-based cohort study

Authors: Sean M. Bagshaw, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Annalise Abbott, MD, Sanjay Beesoon, PhD, Danny J. Zuege, MD, MSc, Tracy Wasylak, BN, MSc, CHE, Braden Manns, MD, MSc, Thanh X. Nguyen, MD, PhD

Published in: Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d'anesthésie | Issue 11/2022

Abstract

Purpose

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been proven effective at preventing poor outcomes from COVID-19; however, voluntary vaccination rates have been suboptimal. We assessed the potential avoidable intensive care unit (ICU) resource use and associated costs had unvaccinated or partially vaccinated patients hospitalized with COVID-19 been fully vaccinated.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study of persons aged 12 yr or greater in Alberta (2021 population ~ 4.4 million) admitted to any ICU with COVID-19 from 6 September 2021 to 4 January 2022. We used publicly available aggregate data on COVID-19 infections, vaccination status, and health services use. Intensive care unit admissions, bed-days, lengths of stay, and costs were estimated for patients with COVID-19 and stratified by vaccination status.

Results

In total, 1,053 patients admitted to the ICU with COVID-19 were unvaccinated, 42 were partially vaccinated, and 173 were fully vaccinated (cumulative incidence 230.6, 30.8, and 5.5 patients/100,000 population, respectively). Cumulative incidence rate ratios of ICU admission were 42.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 39.7 to 44.9) for unvaccinated patients and 5.6 (95% CI, 4.1 to 7.6) for partially vaccinated patients when compared with fully vaccinated patients. During the study period, 1,028 avoidable ICU admissions and 13,015 bed-days were recorded for unvaccinated patients and the total avoidable costs were CAD 61.3 million. The largest opportunity to avoid ICU bed-days and costs was in unvaccinated patients aged 50 to 69 yr.

Conclusions

Unvaccinated patients with COVID-19 had substantially greater rates of ICU admissions, ICU bed-days, and ICU-related costs than vaccinated patients did. This increased resource use would have been potentially avoidable had these unvaccinated patients been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2.

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Title: Avoidable intensive care unit resource use and costs of unvaccinated patients with COVID-19: a historical population-based cohort study
Authors: Sean M. Bagshaw, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Annalise Abbott, MD
Sanjay Beesoon, PhD
Danny J. Zuege, MD, MSc
Tracy Wasylak, BN, MSc, CHE
Braden Manns, MD, MSc
Thanh X. Nguyen, MD, PhD
Publication date: 26-07-2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Keywords: Vaccination
SARS-CoV-2
Care
COVID-19
Published in: Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d'anesthésie / Issue 11/2022
Print ISSN: 0832-610X
Electronic ISSN: 1496-8975
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12630-022-02299-w

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Avoidable intensive care unit resource use and costs of unvaccinated patients with COVID-19: a historical population-based cohort study

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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