Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39417955›Full record

ArticleInfection2025

Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 related in-hospital mortality, ICU admission and mechanical ventilation of 1.4 million patients in Germany and Switzerland, 2019 to 2022.

Cathrin Kodde, Sven Hohenstein, Irit Nachtigall, Yvonne Cavalli, Reto Schuepbach, Raphael Graf, Andreas Bollmann, Ralf Kuhlen

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Infection, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Cathrin KoddeDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. cathrin.kodde@charite.de.
Sven HohensteinHelios Health Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Irit NachtigallDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Infection Prevention, Helios Hospital Emil-Von-Behring, Berlin, Germany.
Yvonne CavalliUniversity Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Reto SchuepbachInstitute of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Zurich and University Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Raphael Graf3M Health Information Systems, Neuss, Germany.
Andreas BollmannHelios Health Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Ralf KuhlenHelios Health Institute, Berlin, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeIn the 2020 emergence of SARS-CoV-2, global response lacked unified treatment and surveillance, resulting in diverse impacts due to varied healthcare resources and national guidelines. Germany and Switzerland curbed the virus initially by promptly tracking and testing, bolstered by strong governmental capacity. This study aimed to assess country-specific healthcare disparities and their impact on ICU admission rates, mechanical ventilation, and in-hospital mortality.

methodsTo enhance healthcare quality using real-world data, the "Initiative of Quality Medicine" (IQM) was established. Pseudonymised routine data from participating hospitals, during 01/01/2019-31/12/2022, was retrospectively analysed, focusing on patients with SARI ± SARS-CoV-2-infection (U07.1). Cohorts were matched based on various factors and multivariable analyses included logistic regression.

results1.421.922 cases of SARI ± U07.1 involving 386 German and 41 Swiss hospitals were included. Patients in Germany were older (mean: 69.4 vs. 66.5 years) and had more comorbidities than in Switzerland (p < .001). Patients in Germany were also more likely to be treated on ICU (28% vs. 20%, OR 1.5 95% CI 1.5-1.6, p < .001) and mechanically ventilated (20% vs. 15%, OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.4-1.5, p < .001). The in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in Germany than in Switzerland (21% vs. 12%, OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.9-2.0, p < .001). Matched cohorts showed reduced differences, but Germany still exhibited higher in-hospital mortality. Discrepancies were evident in both pre-pandemic and pandemic analyses, highlighting existing disparities between both countries.

conclusionIQM data from Swiss and German hospitals reveals country-specific differences in SARI ± U07.1 outcomes, highlighting higher in-hospital mortality in Germany, with uncertain causes suggesting varied treatments and resources.

Indexed as

COVID-19Hospital MortalityIntensive Care UnitsRespiration, ArtificialAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleGermanyHospitalizationHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2SwitzerlandARDSCritical carePublic healthRespiratory infectionsSARS-CoV-2Surveillance

Identifiers

PMID39417955
PMCPMC12137422

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.