Observational studyBMC geriatrics2026
Clinical effectiveness of intensive care unit admission in older adults with COVID-19 during the first pandemic wave in Spain.
Observational study in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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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.
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Authors and funding
18 authors.
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Abstract
objectiveTo evaluate the impact of ICU admission on mortality and complications of older patients with COVID-19 hospitalized during the first COVID-19 wave in our setting.
methodsAn observational, multicenter, and ambispective study of COVID-19 patients aged > 70 years who were hospitalized during the first wave of the pandemic in the southern metropolitan area of Barcelona, Spain. The primary outcome of the study was the in-hospital mortality rate of patients admitted to the ICU compared with their appropriately matched controls who received care in hospital wards. The secondary outcome was the in-hospital rate of complications in ICU-admitted patients versus their matched controls.
resultsThe mortality rate was 76.6% in ICU-admitted patients and 64.9% among their matched controls, whereas the corresponding rates of complications were 73.5% and 32.4%, respectively. ICU admission shows a statistically significant impact on mortality (OR [95% CI] 2.50 [1.06–6.05]; p = 0.041). Additionally, complications were four times more likely in patients who were admitted to ICUs than in those admitted to general wards (OR [95% CI] 4.03 [1.64–9.91]; p = 0.0024).
conclusionsICU admission was not associated with improved survival in patients older than 70 years during the first COVID-19 wave. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to assess the adequacy of ICU admission criteria for elderly patients.
trial registrationNot applicable.
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