Obstructive jaundice treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: retrospective cohort study at a single tertiary care center in Serbia

• Published in: Journal of international medical research Vol. 51; no. 10; p. 3000605231202350
• Main Authors: Toskovic, Borislav, Vukcevic, Batric, Zdravkovic, Darko, Crnokrak, Bogdan, Nadj, Igor, Sekulic, Ana, Mrda, Davor, Todorovic, Slobodan, Lazovic, Ranko, Milosavljevic, Vladimir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-10-2023; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Cohort analysis; COVID-19; Mortality; Observational Study; Pandemics; Pneumonia; Serbia; mortality; COVID-19 pandemic; obstructive jaundice; risk factor; retrospective study; surgery
• ISSN: 0300-0605; 1473-2300
• DOI: 10.1177/03000605231202350

Objective
We aimed to compare mortality and complication rates in patients treated for obstructive jaundice before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary care center in Serbia.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective cohort study among a first group of patients treated between 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2019. The second group was treated between 1 March 2020 and 1 March 2022.
Results
The first group comprised 35 patients, and the second group (in which all patients were SARS-CoV-2 positive) included 18 patients; 37 and 16 patients were treated for malignant and benign diseases, respectively. The groups did not differ significantly regarding the diagnoses and treatment received. The second group showed significantly higher aspartate aminotransferase levels and lower white blood cell, C-reactive protein, and interleukin 6 levels. Mortality and complication rates did not differ significantly between groups. All deceased patients in the second group had significant radiologic findings associated with COVID-19 pneumonia.
Conclusions
COVID-19 infection is a risk factor in treating obstructive jaundice. This study illustrates the potential influence of COVID-19 on mortality after obstructive jaundice treatment. COVID-19 pneumonia may be a significant risk factor for mortality in patients treated for obstructive jaundice.