Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42289350›Full record

ArticleActa anaesthesiologica Scandinavica2026

COVID-19 Mortality in Swedish Intensive Care Units: A Multicenter Survival Analysis.

Gustaf Forsberg, Knut Taxbro, Sören Berg, Fredrik Hammarskjöld, Johan Berkius, Håkan Johansson, Andreas Ekman, Åse Östholm, Katarina Niward, Jonna Idh and 1 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 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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0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Gustaf ForsbergDepartment of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.
Knut TaxbroDepartment of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Sören BergDepartment of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2552-6503
Fredrik HammarskjöldDepartment of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4358-7820
Johan BerkiusDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Västervik Hospital, Västervik, Sweden.
Håkan JohanssonDepartment of Research, Region Kalmar County, Kalmar, Sweden.
Andreas EkmanDepartment of Anaesthesia, Trelleborg Hospital, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
Åse ÖstholmDepartment of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Katarina NiwardDepartment of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Jonna IdhDepartment of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Louise ElanderDepartment of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.

Funding

Forskningsrådet i Sydöstra Sverige 1013279Forskningsrådet i Sydöstra Sverige 941384Forskningsrådet i Sydöstra Sverige 964312Forskningsrådet i Sydöstra Sverige 968674Region Östergötland 1005642Region Östergötland 978201
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMortality among critically ill COVID-19 patients has varied globally. In Sweden, geographic differences in mortality have also been observed. The current study aimed to determine whether mortality differences persist after adjusting for differences in case-mix, and to identify potential independent factors contributing to regional variations in mortality.

methodsWe conducted a multicenter cohort study including adult patients admitted to seven hospital ICUs across three Swedish healthcare counties between March 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021. These ICUs include one university hospital, three county hospitals and three local hospitals, and cover the intensive care infrastructure for approximately one million inhabitants. Patients were assigned to the hospital of initial ICU admission, even if transferred later during the course. Patient characteristics, disease severity, respiratory support, and treatments were registered. Primary outcome was 90-day mortality. A mixed-effects Cox proportional hazards model was used.

resultsSeven hundred and forty seven patients were included. The unadjusted 90-day mortality varied significantly, with the highest rate at 30%, and the lowest at 8.5% (p < 0.001). After adjustment for baseline confounders (Charlson comorbidity index, sex, SAPS3, age, smoking status, BMI), calendar time and healthcare county (random intercept), all hospitals were significantly associated with increased 90-day mortality compared with the lowest mortality hospital. Hazard ratios ranged from 2.38 to 5.06.

conclusionAmong patients admitted to ICU due to COVID-19, we observed a difference in mortality related to the hospital of first ICU admission. This difference persisted after adjustment for calendar time, baseline confounders, and healthcare county. Potential explanations are lacking within the current study. Future studies should focus on comprehensive evaluation of both organizational and contextual determinants of mortality. EDITORIAL COMMENT: This analysis from 3 Swedish counties (7 hospitals) for COVID ICU cases presents factors and relations to mortality risk, including factors for first admission to university-larger-, or smaller hospital. An association was observed for higher risk if the first ICU admission was in a smaller hospital, though recognizing that this is a dataset coming from a small set of hospitals.

Indexed as

COVID-19Intensive Care UnitsAgedCohort StudiesFemaleHospital MortalityHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurvival AnalysisSwedenacute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)COVID‐19intensive caremulticenterSARS‐CoV‐2Swedentreatment strategies

Identifiers

PMID42289350
PMCPMC13265249

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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.