NEWS

Pennsylvania ventilator data provides new insight into COVID-19 health outcomes

Staff Writer
Pocono Record
About one-quarter of Pennsylvania adult patients in 2019 were diagnosed with infectious pneumonia, which can affect one or both lungs and be caused by bacteria or a virus, according to the brief.  COVID-19 can affect the lungs and respiratory system.

Nearly 47,000 Pennsylvania residents who were hospitalized for respiratory issues in 2019 required the use of a mechanical ventilator, data that provides a “good baseline” for understanding COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to a state health care group.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the important role mechanical ventilators play in the treatment of severe respiratory illness, said Joe Martin, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, which released its new research brief on pre-COVID-19 mechanical ventilator use Wednesday.

“Looking at this data now provides a good baseline for future reporting of COVID-19 hospitalizations at both statewide and county levels,” Martin said.

At the start of the pandemic in Pennsylvania, health officials were carefully monitoring ventilator use, worried about potential shortages of the life-saving machines. The state also took steps to add 400 machines to its stockpiles.

During the first week of April, Pennsylvania had slightly more than 1,600 ventilators in use, roughly 40% of the total available, with 596 of them for patients testing positive for COVID-19, according to state data. The number of COVID-19 patients using ventilators peaked at 668 on April 15, according to the state.

As of Tuesday, 979 of the now 4,627 available ventilators in the state were in use, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. A little more than 10% (108) were being used to treat patients with COVID-19.

The newly released data shows 46,257 hospital stays during fiscal year 2019 that involved use of mechanical ventilators, machines that do the breathing for patients who can no longer safely do it on their own.

The research brief found correlations between pre-COVID-19 hospitalizations involving mechanical ventilation and hospitalizations during the ongoing pandemic. Among them:

About one-quarter of those 2019 adult patients were diagnosed with infectious pneumonia, which can affect one or both lungs and be caused by bacteria or a virus, according to the brief. COVID-19 can affect the lungs and respiratory system.

More than 90% of adults on mechanical ventilators with a diagnosis of infectious pneumonia in 2019 had at least one serious underlying health condition such as compromised immune system, or heart or chronic lung disease.

It’s information is considered important for future analysis with COVID-19 since health experts believe patients with pre-existing conditions are at a higher risk for COVID-19 related pneumonia and acute respiratory distress, Martin said.

The 2019 data also showed other higher hospitalization rates involving mechanical ventilation among older individuals, those identifying as Black, males and individuals living in higher poverty areas.

They are demographic characteristics similar to those believed to be at higher risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19, Martin said.

Pre-coronavirus patients needing mechanical ventilation had, in general, higher death rates during hospital stays, longer hospital stays, and were more likely to be discharged to a short-term rehab facility, according to the brief, another trend seen in COVID-19 patients using the machines.

Future analysis comparing the rates of mechanical ventilator use for patients with infectious pneumonia versus those with COVID-19 related pneumonia will provide insight into the severity of illness associated with each type of pneumonia, Martin said.