Increased Mortality Risk Among Critically Ill Non-COVID-19 Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada

This population-based cohort study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on critically ill patients in Ontario, Canada, without COVID-19 infection. The study compared ICU outcomes between the first four months of the pandemic (March-June 2020) and the same period in 2019. The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. The results showed a significant increase in mortality among patients in the pandemic cohort, particularly among immigrants and those admitted for COPD exacerbation. These findings suggest that the pandemic negatively affected outcomes for critically ill non-COVID-19 patients, highlighting the need for pandemic response strategies that preserve quality of care for all patients.

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