Table 1.
General characteristics of patients
| Variable | Total N = 172 | pre-COVID group N = 86 | COVID group N = 86 | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender: | 0.141 | |||
| Female, n (%) | 38 (22.1) | 15 (17.4) | 23 (26.7) | |
| Male, n (%) | 134 (77.9) | 71 (82.6) | 63 (73.3) | |
| Age (years): | 0.703 | |||
| M ± SD | 63.8 ± 10.6 | 63.5 ± 10.9 | 64.1 ± 10.3 | |
| Me [Q1; Q3] | 63 [59; 71] | 63 [58; 71] | 64 [60; 70] | |
| Min - Max | 30 – 86 | 30 – 86 | 34 – 85 | |
| BMI (kg/m2): | 0.235 | |||
| M ± SD | 25.4 ± 5.1 | 25.9 ± 5.4 | 24.8 ± 4.9 | |
| Me [Q1; Q3] | 25 [22; 28] | 26 [22; 30] | 25 [22; 27] | |
| Min - Max | 16 – 47 | 16 – 39 | 16 – 47 | |
| BMI: | 0.168 | |||
| Thinness (Less than 17), n (%) | 4 (2.3) | 2 (2.3) | 2 (2.3) | |
| Underweight (17.0 – 18.4), n (%) | 3 (1.7) | 1 (1.2) | 2 (2.3) | |
| Normal weight (18.5 – 24.9), n (%) | 48 (27.9) | 24 (27.9) | 24 (27.9) | |
| Overweight (25.0 – 29.9), n (%) | 37 (21.5) | 16 (18.6) | 21 (24.4) | |
| Obesity (30 and more), n (%) | 19 (11.0) | 15 (17.4) | 4 (4.7) | |
| No data, n (%) | 61 (35.5) | 28 (32.6) | 33 (38.4) | |
| Distance (km): | 0.203 | |||
| M ± SD | 25.4 ± 5.1 | 25.9 ± 5.4 | 24.8 ± 4.9 | |
| Me [Q1; Q3] | 25 [22; 28] | 26 [22; 30] | 25 [22; 27] | |
| Min - Max | 16 – 47 | 16 – 39 | 16 – 47 | |
| Distance: | 0.321 | |||
| a) 0 – 9 km | 38 (22.1) | 22 (25.6) | 16 (18.6) | |
| b) 10 – 24 km | 18 (10.5) | 8 (9.3) | 10 (11.6) | |
| c) 25 – 49 km | 24 (14.0) | 13 (15.1) | 11 (12.8) | |
| d) 50 – 74 km | 41 (23.8) | 24 (27.9) | 17 (19.8) | |
| e) 75 – 99 km | 32 (18.6) | 12 (14.0) | 20 (23.3) | |
| f) 100 – 252 km | 19 (11.0) | 7 (8.1) | 12 (14.0) |
[i] n – number, % - percentage, M – mean, SD – standard deviation, Me – median, Q1 – lower quartile, Q3 – upper quartile, Min – minimum, Max – maximum, P-value – statistical result of the test
Table 2.
Clinical characteristics of patients
| Variable | Total N = 172 | pre-COVID group N = 86 | COVID group N = 86 | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tumor: | 0.249 | |||
| T0, n (%) | 12 (7.0) | 9 (10.5) | 3 (3.5) | |
| T1, n (%) | 41 (23.8) | 23 (26.7) | 18 (20.9) | |
| T2, n (%) | 28 (16.3) | 13 (15.1) | 15 (17.4) | |
| T3, n (%) | 29 (16.9) | 10 (11.6) | 19 (22.1) | |
| T4a, n (%) | 47 (27.3) | 24 (27.9) | 23 (26.7) | |
| T4b, n (%) | 15 (8.7) | 7 (8.1) | 8 (9.3) | |
| Lymph nodes: | 0.693 | |||
| N0, n (%) | 77 (44.8) | 40 (46.5) | 37 (43.0) | |
| N1, n (%) | 15 (8.7) | 8 (9.3) | 7 (8.2) | |
| N2, n (%) | 51 (29.6) | 22 (25.6) | 29 (33.7) | |
| N3, n (%) | 29 (16.9) | 16 (18.6) | 13 (15.1) | |
| Metastasis: | 0.329 | |||
| M0, n (%) | 162 (94.2) | 83 (96.5) | 79 (91.9) | |
| M1, n (%) | 10 (5.8) | 3 (3.5) | 7 (8.1) | |
| Grading: | 0.429 | |||
| G1, n (%) | 22 (12.8) | 13 (15.1) | 9 (10.5) | |
| G2, n (%) | 98 (57.0) | 50 (58.1) | 48 (55.8) | |
| G3, n (%) | 27 (15.7) | 14 (16.3) | 13 (15.1) | |
| No data, n (%) | 25 (14.5) | 9 (10.5) | 16 (18.6) | |
| Stage: | 0.758 | |||
| I, n (%) | 35 (20.3) | 18 (20.9) | 17 (19.8) | |
| II, n (%) | 17 (9.9) | 10 (11.6) | 7 (8.1) | |
| III, n (%) | 23 (13.4) | 12 (14.0) | 11 (12.8) | |
| IVA, n (%) | 51 (29.7) | 25 (29.1) | 26 (30.2) | |
| IVB, n (%) | 38 (22.1) | 19 (22.1) | 19 (22.1) | |
| IVC, n (%) | 8 (4.7) | 2 (2.3) | 6 (7.0) | |
| Histopathological diagnosis: | 0.541 | |||
| Squamous cell carcinoma | 143 (83.1) | 73 (84.9) | 70 (81.4) | |
| Others | 29 (16.9) | 13 (15.1) | 16 (18.6) | |
| Location: | 0.360 | |||
| Lip and Oral Cavity | 7 (4.1) | 5 (5,8) | 2 (2,3) | |
| Nasopharynx | 4 (2.3) | 2 (2,3) | 2 (2,3) | |
| Hypopharynx | 31 (18.0) | 12 (14,0) | 19 (22,1) | |
| Oropharynx | 16 (9.3) | 6 (7,0) | 10 (11,6) | |
| Larynx | 80 (46.5) | 41 (47,7) | 39 (45,3) | |
| Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinuses | 8 (4.7) | 5 (5,8) | 3 (3,5) | |
| Unknown Primary | 12 (7.0) | 9 (10,5) | 3 (3,5) | |
| Major Salivary Glands | 14 (8.1) | 6 (7,0) | 8 (9,3) |
Table 3.
Patient history and treatment
| Variable | Total N = 172 | Pre-COVID group N = 86 | COVID group N = 86 | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration of symptoms: | 0.603 | |||
| No symptoms | 16 (9.3) | 8 (9.3) | 8 (9.3) | |
| Up to one month | 11 (6.4) | 4 (4.7) | 7 (8.1) | |
| 1 to 3 months | 29 (16.9) | 16 (18.6) | 13 (15.1) | |
| 3 to 6 months | 49 (28.5) | 24 (27.9) | 25 (29.1) | |
| 6 to 12 months | 13 (7.6) | 4 (4.7) | 9 (10.5) | |
| 12 and more months | 7 (4.1) | 5 (5.8) | 2 (2.3) | |
| No data | 47 (27.3) | 25 (29.1) | 22 (25.6) | |
| Smoking: | 0.264 | |||
| Yes | 93 (54.1) | 50 (58.1) | 43 (50.0) | |
| No | 60 (34.9) | 25 (29.1) | 35 (40.7) | |
| No data | 19 (11.0) | 11 (12.8) | 8 (9.3) | |
| Type of treatment: | 0.768 | |||
| Radical | 118 (68.6) | 62 (72.1) | 56 (65.1) | |
| Palliative | 15 (8.7) | 6 (7.0) | 9 (10.5) | |
| Induct | 15 (8.7) | 7 (8.1) | 8 (9.3) | |
| Other | 24 (14.0) | 11 (12.8) | 13 (15.1) | |
| Treatment method: | 0.657 | |||
| Surgery | 38 (22.1) | 20 (23.3) | 18 (20.9) | |
| RTh | 32 (18.6) | 14 (16.3) | 18 (20.9) | |
| Surgery + RTh/RCTh | 33 (19.2) | 17 (19.8) | 16 (18.6) | |
| RCTh | 19 (11.0) | 12 (14.0) | 7 (8.1) | |
| CTh + surgery | 1 (0.6) | 1 (1.2) | 0 (0.0) | |
| CTh | 21 (12.2) | 8 (9.3) | 13 (15.1) | |
| Other | 28 (16.3) | 14 (16.3) | 14 (16.3) |
[i] RTh – radiotherapy, CTh – chemotherapy, RCTh – radiochemotherapy,
Figure 1.
Odds ratio plot for PEG, dyspnoea, and acute tracheostomy with 95% confidence intervals
Table 4.
Number (percentage) of patients in the subgroups, differing in the timing of treatment and dyspnea, emergency tracheotomy and PEG, the result of the independence test and the value of the odds ratio and its 95% confidence interval
| Dyspnoea | P-value | OR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes (N = 18) | No (N = 154) | |||
| During a pandemic | 11 (61.1) | 75 (48.7) | 0.455 | 1.66 (0.61; 4.49) |
| Before the pandemic | 7 (38.9) | 79 (51.3) | 1.00 (ref.) | |
| Emergency tracheotomy | ||||
| Yes (N = 16) | No (N = 156) | |||
| During a pandemic | 10 (62.5) | 76 (48.7) | 0.294 | 1.75 (0.61; 5.06) |
| Before the pandemic | 6 (37.5) | 80 (51.3) | 1.00 (ref.) | |
| PEG | ||||
| Yes (N = 19) | No (N = 153) | |||
| During a pandemic | 14 (73.7) | 72 (47.1) | 0.049 | 3.15 (1.08; 9.18) |
| Before the pandemic | 5 (26.3) | 81 (52.9) | 1.00 (ref.) | |