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Differences between the course of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the periods of the Delta and Omicron variants dominance in Poland

Pol Arch Intern Med. 2023 Jan 5:16403. doi: 10.20452/pamw.16403. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 to this day caused more than 6 million deaths worldwide. So far five variants of concerns have been identified with Delta and Omicron being the subject of our analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We aim to compare baseline characteristics and outcomes of patients hospitalized during Delta and Omicron predominance in Poland.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 2,225 patients divided into two groups depending on the variant with which they were infected during the corresponding period of the pandemic.

RESULTS: During the Delta wave, the median age of patients was significantly lower (65 vs. 73 years, p<0.001), and the cohort was significantly less burdened by comorbidities than during the Omicron surge. Omicron-infected patients presented significantly less often in an unstable symptomatic state with SpO2 ≤90% on admission (49.9% vs. 29.9%, p<0.001). Regardless of the pandemic period, the two most common early symptoms of COVID-19 were fever and cough. In-hospital treatment consisted of antiviral drugs, more frequently used in the Omicron wave, and immunomodulatory drugs more frequently used during the Delta wave. The risk of mechanical ventilation was significantly lower in patients infected with Omicron (7.2% vs. 3.1%, p<0.001). For the age group >80 years the risk of death was significantly higher during the Delta wave as compared to Omicron wave. The risk of death was statistically significantly lower in patients treated with antiviral drugs regardless of the pandemic wave.

CONCLUSIONS: The Delta variant causes a more severe clinical course of the disease and a higher risk of death compared to the Omicron variant.

PMID:36602857 | DOI:10.20452/pamw.16403

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