Disparities in COVID-19 mortality amongst the immunosuppressed : A systematic review and meta-analysis for enhanced disease surveillance

Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved..

BACKGROUND: Effective disease surveillance, including that for COVID-19, is compromised without a standardised method for categorising the immunosuppressed as a clinical risk group.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate whether excess COVID-associated mortality compared to the immunocompetent could meaningfully subdivide the immunosuppressed. Our study adhered to UK Immunisation against infectious disease (Green Book) criteria for defining and categorising immunosuppression. Using OVID (EMBASE, MEDLINE, Transplant Library, and Global Health), PubMed, and Google Scholar, we examined relevant literature between the entirety of 2020 and 2022. We selected for cohort studies that provided mortality data for immunosuppressed subgroups and immunocompetent comparators. Meta-analyses, grey literature and any original works that failed to provide comparator data or reported all-cause or paediatric outcomes were excluded. Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of COVID-19 mortality were meta-analysed by immunosuppressed category and subcategory. Subgroup analyses differentiated estimates by effect measure, country income, study setting, level of adjustment, use of matching and publication year. Study screening, extraction and bias assessment were performed blinded and independently by two researchers; conflicts were resolved with the oversight of a third researcher. PROSPERO registration number is CRD42022360755.

FINDINGS: We identified 99 unique studies, incorporating data from 1,542,097 and 56,248,181 unique immunosuppressed and immunocompetent patients with COVID-19 infection, respectively. Compared to immunocompetent people (pooled OR, 95%CI), solid organ transplants (2.12, 1.50-2.99) and malignancy (2.02, 1.69-2.42) patients had a very high risk of COVID-19 mortality. Patients with rheumatological conditions (1.28, 1.13-1.45) and HIV (1.20, 1.05-1.36) had just slightly higher risks than the immunocompetent baseline. Case type, setting income and mortality data matching and adjustment were significant modifiers of excess immunosuppressed mortality for some immunosuppressed subgroups.

INTERPRETATION: Excess COVID-associated mortality among the immunosuppressed compared to the immunocompetent was seen to vary significantly across subgroups. This novel means of subdivision has prospective benefit for targeting patient triage, shielding and vaccination policies during periods of high disease transmission.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:88

Enthalten in:

The Journal of infection - 88(2024), 3 vom: 15. März, Seite 106110

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Leston, Meredith [VerfasserIn]
Elson, Willam [VerfasserIn]
Ordóñez-Mena, Jose M [VerfasserIn]
Kar, Debasish [VerfasserIn]
Whitaker, Heather [VerfasserIn]
Joy, Mark [VerfasserIn]
Roberts, Nia [VerfasserIn]
Hobbs, F D Richard [VerfasserIn]
de Lusignan, Simon [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

COVID-19
Covid
Digital health
Disease surveillance
Immunocompromised
Immunosuppressed
Journal Article
Meta-Analysis
Pandemic preparedness
Personalised medicine
Systematic Review
Vaccination
Vaccines

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 19.03.2024

Date Revised 19.03.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.jinf.2024.01.009

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM367914271