The COVID-19 pandemic is characterized by an undulating course and changes in treatment approaches. Analysis of clinical and laboratory data and their changes will allow a more detailed investigation of characteristics of these patients.

OBJECTIVE

To compare clinical and laboratory data of ICU patients of the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Clinical and laboratory data of 543 ICU patients in the first and second waves of the pandemic are presented.

RESULTS

Patients were older in the second wave (74 [64; 82] and 68 [57; 79] years, p=0.001). They also admitted to ICU later from the onset of disease and hospitalization compared to the first wave (10 [7; 13] and 11 [9; 17] days, 2.5 [0; 5] and 4 [2; 8] days, respectively). Mechanical ventilation time was shorter in the 2^nd wave (10 [5; 15] and 4 [1; 7] hours). The use of haloperidol (29.5% and 38.8%) and glucocorticosteroids (23% and 88.9%) was more common in the second wave. Hemodialysis was more common in the first wave (17.5% and 8.4%). There were significant between-group differences in WBC count (p=0.001), platelet count (p=0.025), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (p=0.001), creatinine (p=0.043), C-reactive protein (p=0.001), procalcitonin (p=0.001). In the second wave, the length of ICU-stay was shorter (8 [4; 15] and 6 [3; 10] days, p=0.003), and mortality was higher (101 (50.5%) and 215 (62.7%), p=0.006).

CONCLUSION

Duration of outpatient and inpatient treatment has increased and resulted later admission of patients to ICU. Approaches to respiratory and drug therapy have changed. Mean age of patients was significantly higher in the second wave resulting appropriate increase of mortality with every decade.