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. 2023 Jul 31;12(15):5049.
doi: 10.3390/jcm12155049.

ICU Delirium Is Associated with Cardiovascular Burden and Higher Mortality in Patients with Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia

Mateusz Gutowski  1 , Jakub Klimkiewicz  1 , Andrzej Michałowski  1 , Michal Ordak  2 , Marcin Możański  1 , Arkadiusz Lubas  3
Affiliations

ICU Delirium Is Associated with Cardiovascular Burden and Higher Mortality in Patients with Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia

Mateusz Gutowski et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 can lead to functional disorders and complications, e.g., pulmonary, thromboembolic, and neurological. The neuro-invasive potential of SARS-CoV-2 may result in acute brain malfunction, which manifests as delirium as a symptom. Delirium is a risk factor for death among patients hospitalized due to critical illness. Taking the above into consideration, the authors investigated risk factors for delirium in COVID-19 patients and its influence on outcomes.

Methods: A total of 335 patients hospitalized due to severe forms of COVID-19 were enrolled in the study. Data were collected from medical charts.

Results: Delirium occurred among 21.5% of patients. In the delirium group, mortality was significantly higher compared to non-delirium patients (59.7% vs. 28.5%; p < 0.001). Delirium increased the risk of death, with an OR of 3.71 (95% CI 2.16-6.89; p < 0.001). Age, chronic atrial fibrillation, elevated INR, urea, and procalcitonin, as well as decreased phosphates, appeared to be the independent risk factors for delirium occurrence.

Conclusions: Delirium occurrence in patients with severe COVID-19 significantly increases the risk of death and is associated with a cardiovascular burden. Hypophosphatemia is a promising reversible factor to reduce mortality in this group of patients. However, larger studies are essential in this area.

Keywords: COVID-19; ICU; delirium.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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