Long-term mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 critically ill patients that required percutaneous tracheostomy in Chile: A multicenter cohort study

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection leads to mechanical ventilation (MV) in approximately 20% of hospitalized patients. Tracheostomy expedites weaning of respiratory support. Moreover, there is a paucity of data regarding long-term outcomes of tracheostomized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. The objective of this study was to describe 1-year mortality in a cohort of COVID-19 critically ill patients who required percutaneous tracheostomy in Chile and to assess the impact of age on outcomes. Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted in 4 hospitals in Chile between March 2020 and July 2021. Patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection connected to MV and required percutaneous tracheostomy were included. Baseline data, relevant perioperative and long-term outcomes, such as 1-year mortality, MV duration, intensive care unit (ICU), and hospital length of stay were registered. Patients were dichotomized according to age group (< and ≥ 70 years). Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to identify predictors of 1-year mortality. Results: Of 1319 COVID-19 ventilated critically ill patients, 23% (304) required a percutaneous tracheostomy. One-year mortality of the study group was 25% (20.2%-30.3%). ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS) were of 37 (27-49) and 52 (40-72) days. One-year mortality was higher in patients ≥ 70 years (36.9% vs. 21.2%, P = 0.012). Multivariate analysis confirmed age and baseline sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score as independent predictors, while time from intubation to tracheostomy was not. Conclusion: In COVID-19 critically ill patients who required percutaneous tracheostomy in Chile, the 1-year mortality rate was 25%, with a relevant impact of age on outcomes. An appropriate patient selection likely accounted for the low mortality rate. Future studies should confirm these results.