Although a few studies comparing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses have been reported, clinical features and outcomes comparing SARS-CoV-2 and non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are still lacking. We retrospectively identified patients with SARS-CoV-2 (November 2020 to January 2022) and non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses associated ARDS (February 2015 to November 2020) at a single tertiary hospital. Their clinical data were obtained by medical record review. All viral infections were confirmed by RT-PCR. Thirty-one SARS-CoV-2 and seventy-one patients with non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses associated ARDS patients were identified. Influenza (62%) was the most common in non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses associated ARDS patients. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 were more likely to be female and had higher body mass index, lower clinical frailty, APACHE II, and SOFA score than those with non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses. All patients with SARS-CoV-2 were treated with corticosteroids and used more high-flow nasal oxygen than those with non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses. The concomitant respiratory bacterial infection was significantly higher in non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses than SARS-CoV-2. Although there were no significant differences in the 28-, 60-day, and in-hospital mortality rates between SARS-CoV-2 and non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses associated ARDS, the duration of mechanical ventilation and length of hospital stay were significantly longer in patients with SARS-CoV-2 than those with non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses. Although the severity of illness and the concomitant bacterial infection rate were lower in patients with SARS-CoV-2 associated ARDS, mortality rates did not differ from non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses associated ARDS.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; acute respiratory distress syndrome; mortality; non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses.