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Risk factors and outcomes of critically ill pregnant COVID-19 patients: Experience from the first and second waves of the pandemic Cover

Risk factors and outcomes of critically ill pregnant COVID-19 patients: Experience from the first and second waves of the pandemic

Open Access
|Jan 2025

Figures & Tables

Associations of complications with admission to ICU

Complications Admission
P value
General ward (N= 94)ICU (N= 19)
Acute kidney injury 0.003
Yes1 (20%)4 (80%)
No93 (86.1%)15 (13.9%)
Liver injury <0.001
Yes0 (0%)5 (100%)
No94 (87.0%)14 (13.0%)
Sepsis 0.001
Yes0 (0%)4 (100%)
No94 (86.2%)15 (13.8%)
Gestational hypertension 0.033
Yes2 (40%)3 (60%)
No92 (85.2%)16 (14.8%)
Preeclampsia 0.526
Yes3 (75%)1 (25%)
No91 (83.5%)18 (16.5%)
Eclampsia 1.000
Yes1 (100%)0 (0%)
No93 (83.0%)19 (17.0%)

Hemodynamic status in the ICU

Variables OutcomesOR (95% CI)P value
Improvement (N = 11)Death (N = 8)
Hemodynamic status
Arterial line inserted 0.633
Yes6 (50%)6 (50%)0.400 (0.055–2.933)
No5 (71.4%)2 (28.6%)1.000

Echocardiography (N = 13)
Dimension 1.000
Abnormal4 (44.4%)5 (55.6%)0.800 (0.076–8.474)
Normal2 (50%)2 (50%)1.000
Ejection fraction 1.000
<55%0 (0%)1 (100%)N/A
≥55%6 (50%)6 (50%)N/A
TAPSE (N=11) N/A
≤1600
>165 (45.5%)6 (54.5%)
Diastolic dysfunction 1.000
Yes1 (33.3%)2 (66.7%)0.500 (0.034–7.452)
No5 (50%)5 (50%)1.000
Valve abnormality (N=12) 1.000
Yes4 (44.4%)5 (55.6%)0.800 (0.076–8.474)
No1 (33.3%)2 (66.7%)1.000
Pericardial effusion 1.000
Yes0 (0%)1 (100%)N/A
No6 (50%)6 (50%)N/A
Any vasopressor 0.003
Yes3 (27.3%)8 (72.7%)N/A
No8 (100%)0 (0%)N/A
Any antiarrhythmic 0.005
Yes 2 (22.2%)7 (77.8%)0.032 (0.002–0.426)
No 9 (90%)1 (10%)1.000

Laboratory findings on patients' clinical outcomes

Laboratory parametersReference ValuesPregnancy EffectOutcomes
P Value
Improvement (N = 11)Death (N = 8)
Haemoglobin12.0 – 15.0 g/dL1.4 – 2.0 g/dL decrease10.10±1.549.63±1.840.549
Leukocytes4.0 – 10.0 x 103/μL3.5 x 103/μL increase13.51 (5.20–46.34)33.03 (6.17–67.30)0.032
Thrombocytes150 – 410 x 103/μLSlight decrease248.74±149.46210.00±149.570.584
D-Dimer< 500.0 ng/mL130 – 170 ng/mL3107.46±2021.334248.74±2705.490.320
C-reactive protein<5.0 mg/L0.4 – 8.1 mg/L83.71±67.60148.03±40.380.031
Procalcitonin<0.05 ng/mL-0.20 (0.20–0.74)0.70 (0.20–7.13)0.074
SGOT0 – 31 U/L-36.00 (17.00–230.00)63.00 (37.00–309.00)0.028
SGPT0 – 31 U/L-36.50 (12.00–230.00)31.00 (22.00–379.00)0.770
Albumin3.2 – 4.6 g/dL1 g/dL decrease3.31±0.533.08±0.330.434
Urea15 –40 mg/dL50% decrease22.00 (12.00–141.00)66.00 (14.00–243.00)0.126
Serum creatinine0.50 –1.00 mg/dL-0.57 (0.41–1.38)1.12 (0.56–7.99)0.026
Arterial blood gas
pH7.350 – 7.450-7.36±0.107.13±0.170.019
pO275.00 – 100.00-80.70 (56.00–268.00)68.25 (57.50–118.40)0.307
pCO235.00 – 45.0025.00 – 33.0038.70±9.0659.67±13.530.007
P/F Ratio>300-127.09 (70–382.86)68.25 (57.50–118.40)0.006

Criteria of adult COVID-19 severity classification according to the Indonesian COVID-19 Management Guidelines

Severity LevelCriteria
MildNo evidence of pneumonia or hypoxia.
Symptoms are limited to fever, cough, fatigue, anorexia, shortness of breath, myalgia, and/or other non-specific
symptoms such as sore throat, nasal congestion, headache, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, anosmia, or ageusia.
SpO2 > 95% on room air.

ModerateClinical signs of pneumonia (fever, cough, dyspnea, tachypnea) with no sign of severe pneumonia.
SpO2 ≥ 93% on room air.

SevereClinical signs of pneumonia (fever, cough, dyspnea, tachypnea) with at least one of the following: Respiratory rate > 30 breaths per minute, severe respiratory distress, and/or SpO2 < 93% on room air.

CriticalPatients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis and septic shock, or other conditions requiring external life support such as mechanical ventilation or vasopressor therapy.

Oxygenation support in the ICU

VariablesOutcome
OR (95% CI)P value
Improvement (N = 11)Death (N = 8)
Baseline Respiratory Status
Oxygenation therapy at ICU admission 0.014

  Simple mask2 (100%)0 (0%)N/A
  Non-rebreathing mask0 (0%)1 (100%)N/A
  HFNC7 (70%)3 (30%)N/A
  NIV2 (100%)0 (0%)N/A
  Ventilator0 (0%)4 (100%)N/A

Oxygen saturation levels at admission to the hospital95.45±3.0582.63±12.99N/A0.027

Chest X-ray 0.013
  Bilateral infiltrate >50%4 (33.3%)8 (66.7%)N/A
  Bilateral infiltrate <50%7 (100%)0 (0%)N/A

Mechanical Ventilation

  NIV (N = 8)3 (37.5%)5 (62.5%)0.516 (0.916–1.353)0.181
  Invasive ventilators (N= 9)1 (11.1%)8 (88.9%)N/A<0.001

Intubation timing <0.001
  ER admission0 (0%)4 (100%)N/A
  Day 1–2 in ICU1 (50%)1 (50%)N/A
  ≥ Day 3 in ICU0 (0%)3 (100%)N/A

Days on ventilator support76.63+3.02N/AN/A

Pneumothorax on ventilator0 (0%)1(100%)N/A0.421

Prone positioning 1.000
  Yes4 (57.1%)3 (42.9%)0.952 (0.144–6.281)
  No7 (58.3%)5 (41.7%)1.000

Treatments in the ICU

TreatmentOutcomes
OR (95% CI)P
Improvement (N = 11)Death (N = 8)
Kidney replacement 0.031
  Hemodialysis0 (0%)2 (100%)N/A
  CRRT0 (0%)2 (100%)N/A
  No11 (73.3%)4 (26.7%)N/A

Any analgetic-sedation <0.001
  None given8 (100%)0 (0%)N/A
  1–3 medications3 (60%)2 (40%)N/A
  >3 medications0 (0%)6 (100%)N/A

Antiviral 0.444
  Remdesivir10 (58.8%)7 (41.2%)N/A
  Remdesivir and Oseltamivir0 (0%)1 (100%)N/A

Corticosteroid 0.251
  Dexamethasone7 (63.6%)4 (36.4%)N/A
  Methylprednisolone0 (0%)3 (100%)N/A
  Both2 (66.7%)1 (33.3%)N/A

Anticoagulant 0.546
  Yes10 (62.5%)6 (37.5%)3.333 (0.246–45.109)
  No1 (33.3%)2 (66.7%)1.000

Tocilizumab (Actemra) 0.319
  Yes2 (33.3%)4 (66.7%)0.222 (0.028–1.754)
  No9 (69.2%)4 (30.8%)1.000

Intravenous immunoglobulin 0.421
  Yes0 (0%)1 (100%)N/A
  No11 (61.1%)7 (28.9%)N/A

Convalescent plasma 0.319
  Yes2 (33.3%)4 (66.7%)0.222 (0.028–1.754)
  No9 (69.2%)4 (30.8%)1.000

Baseline characteristics of maternal COVID-19 patients in ICU

CharacteristicsOutcomes
P value
Improvement (N=11)Death (N=8)
Age (years)34±534±30.911
Gestational age (weeks)30 (22–41)32 (5–38)0.901

Pregnancy status at admission 1.000
Pregnant 8 (61.5%)5 (38.5%)
Post delivery 3 (50%)3 (50%)

COVID-19 severity 0.048
Mild 2 (100%)0 (0%)
Severe 7 (77.8%)2 (22.2%)
Critical 2 (25%)6 (75%)
Length of stay (days) 9 (1–31)10 (2–13)0.901

Comorbidities
  Nasopharyngeal cancer 0.421
Yes0 (0%)1 (100%)
No11 (61.1%)7 (38.9%)
  Congestive heart failure 0.546
Yes1 (33.3%)2 (66.7%)
No10 (62.5%)6 (37.5%)
  Coronary artery disease 0.421
Yes0 (0%)1 (100%)
No11 (61.1%)7 (38.9%)
  Chronic hypertension 0.421
Yes0 (0%)1 (100%)
No11 (61.1%)7 (38.9%)
  Obesity 0.164
Yes0 (0%)2 (100%)
No11 (64.7%)6 (35.3%)
  Asthma 1.000
Yes1 (100%)0 (0%)
No10 (55.6%)8 (44.4%)
  Type-2 diabetes mellitus 1.000
Yes2 (66.7%)1 (33.3%)
No9 (56.2%)7 (43.4%)
  Tuberculous lymphadenitis 1.000
Yes1 (100%)0 (0%)
No10 (55.6%)8 (44.4%)

The Association between Comorbidities and Outcomes

ComorbidityOutcomes
P value
Improvement (N=11)Death (N=8)
At least 115 (78.9%)4 (21.1%)0.026
None90 (95.7%)4 (4.3%)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jccm-2025-0008 | Journal eISSN: 2393-1817 | Journal ISSN: 2393-1809
Language: English
Page range: 54 - 63
Submitted on: May 28, 2024
Accepted on: Jan 20, 2025
Published on: Jan 31, 2025
Published by: University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

© 2025 Dita Aditianingsih, Noor Hafidz, Aino Nindya Auerkari, Zarah Tin Cahyaningrum, El Nissi Leonard, Chrisella Annabelle, published by University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.