<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0027_s_006">
<h3>Background</h3>
<p>As of writing, there are no publications pertaining to the prediction of COVID-19-related outcomes and length of stay in patients from Slovene hospitals.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0027_s_007">
<h3>Objectives</h3>
<p>To evaluate the length of regular ward and ICU stays and assess the survival of COVID-19 patients to develop better prediction models to forecast hospital capacity and staffing demands in possible further pandemic peaks.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0027_s_008">
<h3>Methods</h3>
<p>In this retrospective, single-site study we analysed the length of stay and survival of all patients, hospitalized due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) at the peak of the second wave, between November 18th 2020 and January 27th 2021 at the University Clinic Golnik, Slovenia.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0027_s_009">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>Out of 407 included patients, 59% were male. The median length of stay on regular wards was 7.5 (IQR 5–13) days, and the median ICU length of stay was 6 (IQR 4–11) days. Age, male sex, and ICU stay were significantly associated with a higher risk of death. The probability of dying in 21 days at the regular ward was 14.4% (95% CI [10.9–18%]) and at the ICU it was 43.6% (95% CI [19.3-51.8%]).</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0027_s_010">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The survival of COVID-19 is strongly affected by age, sex, and the fact that a patient had to be admitted to ICU, while the length of hospital bed occupancy is very similar across different demographic groups. Knowing the length of stay and admission rate to ICU is important for proper planning of resources during an epidemic.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Background
As of writing, there are no publications pertaining to the prediction of COVID-19-related outcomes and length of stay in patients from Slovene hospitals.

Objectives
To evaluate the length of regular ward and ICU stays and assess the survival of COVID-19 patients to develop better prediction models to forecast hospital capacity and staffing demands in possible further pandemic peaks.

Methods
In this retrospective, single-site study we analysed the length of stay and survival of all patients, hospitalized due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) at the peak of the second wave, between November 18th 2020 and January 27th 2021 at the University Clinic Golnik, Slovenia.

Results
Out of 407 included patients, 59% were male. The median length of stay on regular wards was 7.5 (IQR 5–13) days, and the median ICU length of stay was 6 (IQR 4–11) days. Age, male sex, and ICU stay were significantly associated with a higher risk of death. The probability of dying in 21 days at the regular ward was 14.4% (95% CI [10.9–18%]) and at the ICU it was 43.6% (95% CI [19.3-51.8%]).

Conclusion
The survival of COVID-19 is strongly affected by age, sex, and the fact that a patient had to be admitted to ICU, while the length of hospital bed occupancy is very similar across different demographic groups. Knowing the length of stay and admission rate to ICU is important for proper planning of resources during an epidemic.

Length of hospital stay and survival of hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the second wave of the pandemic: A single centre retrospective study from Slovenia

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Trajanje hospitalizacije in umrljivost hospitaliziranih bolnikov s COVID-19 med drugim valom pandemije: Retrospektivna raziskava Slovenske klinike

Background
As of writing, there are no publications pertaining to the prediction of COVID-19-related outcomes and length of stay in patients from Slovene...

Length of hospital stay and survival of hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the second wave of the pandemic: A single centre retrospective study from Slovenia

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Sep 28, 2022

Page range: 201 - 208

Received: Jan 30, 2022

Accepted: Jul 28, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2022-0027

Keywords
COVID-19, mortality, length of stay, intensive care units, hospital wards

© 2022 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Length of hospital stay and survival of hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the second wave of the pandemic: A single centre retrospective study from Slovenia

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Sep 28, 2022

Page range: 201 - 208

Received: Jan 30, 2022

Accepted: Jul 28, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2022-0027

KeywordsCOVID-19, mortality, length of stay, intensive care units, hospital wards

© 2022 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
COVID-19, mortality, length of stay, intensive care units, hospital wards