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Intra-abdominal infections are the second most common source of severe sepsis and successful treatment relies on early intervention and appropriate resources.1–3 The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the global healthcare system as evidenced by a national study in England showing reduced admissions and higher 90-day mortality for common acute surgical conditions.4 5 We examined intra-abdominal infection-related mortality trends from 1999 to 2021, which encompasses the COVID-19 pandemic.
Using the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) database (1999–2021), which registers more than 99% of deaths in the USA, we obtained decedents with intra-abdominal infection, defined as deaths related to acute cholecystitis, acute appendicitis, Clostridioides difficile colitis, diverticulitis or pyelonephritis (multiple causes were possible). Age-standardised mortality rates (ASMR) per 100 000 population were calculated using the 2010 US Census as the standard population. Joinpoint Regression Program (V.4.9.0.0) was performed to evaluate ASMR trends overall and stratified by age groups: young age (25–44), middle age (45–64) and the elderly (≥65) (online supplemental file 1). Forecast analysis was conducted to predict annual ASMR in 2020 and 2021 from intra-abdominal infections based …
Footnotes
Handling editor Darryl Wood
YL and JSS contributed equally.
Contributors Concept and design: JSS, YL, FJ, YHY. Acquisition and analysis of data: YL, YHY. Interpretation of data: JSS, YL, YME, FL, FJ, KS, YHY. Drafting of the manuscript: JSS, YME, YL. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: JSS, YL, YME, FL, FJ, KS, YHY. Administrative, technical or material support: YL, FJ. Supervision: KS, YHY.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests FJ has received speaker fees from Gilead Sciences, MSD and Ascletis, in addition to consulting or advisory board fees from Gilead and MSD.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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