Surgical mortality, complications in COVID-19 patients

Editor's Note

Surgical mortality and complications were higher in patients with COVID-19, compared with those without COVID-19, this Italian study finds.

In this cohort study of 41 surgical patients with COVID-19 and 82 matched control patients without COVID-19:

• 30-day mortality was significantly higher in COVID-19 patients (19.51% of COVID-19 patients vs 2.44% of controls) (odds ratio [OR], 9.5; 95% CI, 1.77-96.53)
• postoperative complications were 13 times more likely in COVID-19 patients (OR, 4.98; 95% CI, 1.81-16.07)
• pulmonary complications were the most common (OR, 35.62; 95% CI, 9.34-205.55)
• thrombotic complications also were significantly associated (OR, 13.2; 95% CI, 1.48-⁰⁰).

The data suggest that, whenever possible, surgery should be postponed in patients with COVID-19, the authors say.