Higher performing ICUs had significantly lower mortality rates during pandemic

Editor's Note

High-performance intensive care units (ICUs) may have better patient outcomes during health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new findings published by the journal CHEST. The study, titled "The association between pre-pandemic ICU performance and mortality variation in COVID-19: A multicenter cohort study of 35,619 critically ill patients," was published on October 12.

The study examined mortality rates in ICUs in Brazil before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. It included data from over 380,000 patients of private hospital ICUs across 10 Brazilian states, including 35,619 patients with COVID-19. 

The mortality rate during the pandemic was significantly reduced in ICUs that demonstrated high efficiency before the pandemic, according to the study. The findings indicated that effective management of patients in ICUs can provide them with the tools needed to manage care during the high-stress, high-demand time of a global health crisis.