Evolution of baseline characteristics and severe outcomes in COVID-19 inpatients during the first and second waves in Northeastern France

OBJECTIVES: Two COVID-19 epidemic waves occurred in France in 2020. This single-center retrospective study compared patients’ characteristics and outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included all patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to Colmar Hospital in March (n = 600) and October/November (n = 205) 2020. RESULTS: Median ages, sex ratio, body mass index, and number of comorbidities were similar in wave 1 and 2 patients. Significant differences were found for temperature (38 °C vs. 37.2), need for oxygen (38.6% vs. 26.8%), high-flow cannula (0% vs. 8.3%), and steroid use (6.3% vs. 54.1%). Intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalizations (25.5% vs. 15.1%, OR: 0.44, 95% CI [0.28; 0.68], P = 0.002) and deaths (19.2% vs. 12.7%, OR: 0.61, 95% CI [0.37; 0.98], P = 0.04) decreased during the second wave. Except for cardiovascular events (5.5% vs. 10.2%), no change was observed in extrapulmonary events. CONCLUSIONS: Deaths and ICU hospitalizations were significantly reduced during the second epidemic wave.