Impact of the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the outcome of neurosurgical patients: a nationwide study in Spain

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effect of the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the outcome of neurosurgical patients in Spain.

Settings: The initial flood of COVID-19 patients overwhelmed an unprepared healthcare system. Different measures were taken to deal with this overburden. The effect of these measures on neurosurgical patients, as well as the effect of COVID-19 itself, has not been thoroughly studied.

Participants: This was a multicentre, nationwide, observational retrospective study of patients who underwent any neurosurgical operation from March to July 2020.

Interventions: An exploratory factorial analysis was performed to select the most relevant variables of the sample.

Primary and secondary outcome measures: Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of mortality and postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Results: Sixteen hospitals registered 1677 operated patients. The overall mortality was 6.4%, and 2.9% (44 patients) suffered a perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of those infections, 24 were diagnosed postoperatively. Age (OR 1.05), perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR 4.7), community COVID-19 incidence (cases/10⁵ people/week) (OR 1.006), postoperative neurological worsening (OR 5.9), postoperative need for airway support (OR 5.38), ASA grade ≥3 (OR 2.5) and preoperative GCS 3-8 (OR 2.82) were independently associated with mortality. For SARS-CoV-2 postoperative infection, screening swab test <72 hours preoperatively (OR 0.76), community COVID-19 incidence (cases/10⁵ people/week) (OR 1.011), preoperative cognitive impairment (OR 2.784), postoperative sepsis (OR 3.807) and an absence of postoperative complications (OR 0.188) were independently associated.

Conclusions: Perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection in neurosurgical patients was associated with an increase in mortality by almost fivefold. Community COVID-19 incidence (cases/10⁵ people/week) was a statistically independent predictor of mortality.

Trial registration number: CEIM 20/217.

Keywords: adult surgery; neurological injury; neurological oncology; neurosurgery.