ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Association of Medical Burden and Capacity Changes With Clinical Outcomes Among Patients Without COVID-19 During the Pandemic: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
SMRs increased more frequently in ICUs with a limited capacity during the pandemic.
Study context
- Population
- Patients without COVID-19 in 23 ICUs in Japan, January 2019 to February 202323 ICUs
- Participants
- 25,568 vs 45,068
- Exposure
- ICUs with limited vs maintained capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Limited capacityn = 25,568
- Maintained capacityn = 45,068reference
- Outcome
- Standardized mortality ratio (APACHE III-j model) compared with the pre-pandemic level
Methodological detailsmulticentre, ICUs completed a web-based questionnaire on medical burden and capacity limitations in November 2023
- Multicentre
- ICUs completed a web-based questionnaire on medical burden and capacity limitations in November 2023
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) increased in four epidemic waves in Limited capacity ICUs vs only one wave in Maintained capacity ICUs
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
In-hospital mortality (individual-level, adjusted Poisson mixed-effects model)
| HR (95% CI) | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity limitationAfter adjustment | 1.19 (1.01–1.41) | P = 0.04 | |
| 0.512Hazard ratio (log scale) |
| Outcome | HR (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-hospital mortality (individual-level, adjusted Poisson mixed-effects model)Number of patients with severe COVID-19 (per five patients) · after adjustment | 1.09 (1.03–1.16) | P = 0.002 | |
| 0.512Hazard ratio (log scale) |
In-hospital mortality (individual-level, adjusted Poisson mixed-effects model)
- ICU bed occupancy not associated with in-hospital mortality
Original publication
Association of Medical Burden and Capacity Changes With Clinical Outcomes Among Patients Without COVID-19 During the Pandemic: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study. Crit Care Med. Published 22 July 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →