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Complications Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Victoria, Australia: A Record Linkage Study

31 Pages Posted: 3 Feb 2022

See all articles by Stacey L. Rowe

Stacey L. Rowe

Monash University - School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Karin Leder

Monash University - School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Kylie Dyson

Monash University

Lalitha Sundaresan

Victorian Government - Department of Health and Human Services

Dennis Wollersheim

Victorian Government - Department of Health and Human Services

Brigid M. Lynch

Cancer Council Victoria

Ifrah Abdullahi

Victorian Government - Department of Health and Human Services

Benjamin C. Cowie

University of Melbourne - Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity

Nicola Stephens

University of Tasmania

Terry Nolan

University of Melbourne - Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Sheena Sullivan

University of Melbourne - Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity

Brett Sutton

Victorian Government - Department of Health and Human Services

Cheng AC

Monash University - Department of Infectious Diseases

More...

Abstract

Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection can induce significant pathologies including neurological, cardiac and vascular disease events. We assessed strength of association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and several key respiratory and non-respiratory complications in Victoria, Australia.

Methods: Record linkage was used to assemble all laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases notified 1 January 2020–31 May 2021 with corresponding hospitalisation  episodes to 30 September 2021. Hospitalisation  rates and reasons for hospitalisation  among cases was assessed using a cohort study design. A self-controlled case series was used to assess strength of association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and several outcomes in the first 90 days following COVID-19 illness onset. Incident rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated comparing risk in the post-exposure period with a baseline period prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Findings: There were 20,594 COVID-19 cases, with 2,992 (14·53%) related hospitalisation s. In the 90-days following COVID-19 illness onset, elevated risks were observed for myocarditis and pericarditis (IRR: 14·76, 95% confidence interval 3·19–68·30); thrombocytopenia (IRR: 7·38, 4·36–12·50), pulmonary embolism (IRR: 6·37; 3·55–11·43), acute myocardial infarction (IRR: 3·89, 2·59–5·84) and cerebral infarction and non-ischemic stroke (IRR: 2·31, 1·37–3·90).

Interpretation: There is a strong association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and risk of several complications highlighting the value of COVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures such as vaccination. Improved awareness of these risks may support early diagnosis and management of patients with a past history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and contribute to a greater understanding of the public health burden of COVID-19.

Funding Information: No funding was provided for this study.

Declaration of Interests: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/disclosure-of-interest/ and declare: no support from any organisation for the submitted work; no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Ethics Approval Statement: Study approvals were obtained from the Victorian Government Department of Health Research Ethics Committee (reference: LNR/76271/DHHS-2021-272262(v2)) and from each data custodian responsible for each informational asset used. The study was also registered with the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (reference: 30071).

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, epidemiology, Public Health, hospitalisation

Suggested Citation

Rowe, Stacey L. and Leder, Karin and Dyson, Kylie and Sundaresan, Lalitha and Wollersheim, Dennis and Lynch, Brigid M. and Abdullahi, Ifrah and Cowie, Benjamin C. and Stephens, Nicola and Nolan, Terry and Sullivan, Sheena and Sutton, Brett and AC, Cheng, Complications Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Victoria, Australia: A Record Linkage Study. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4025054 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4025054

Stacey L. Rowe (Contact Author)

Monash University - School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine ( email )

Karin Leder

Monash University - School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine ( email )

Kylie Dyson

Monash University ( email )

23 Innovation Walk
Wellington Road
Clayton, 3800
Australia

Lalitha Sundaresan

Victorian Government - Department of Health and Human Services ( email )

Melbourne
Australia

Dennis Wollersheim

Victorian Government - Department of Health and Human Services ( email )

Melbourne
Australia

Brigid M. Lynch

Cancer Council Victoria ( email )

615 St Kilda Road
Melbourne, 3004
Australia

Ifrah Abdullahi

Victorian Government - Department of Health and Human Services ( email )

Melbourne
Australia

Benjamin C. Cowie

University of Melbourne - Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity ( email )

792 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne, 3000
Australia

Nicola Stephens

University of Tasmania ( email )

French Street
Sandy Bay
Tasmania, 7250
Australia

Terry Nolan

University of Melbourne - Murdoch Children's Research Institute ( email )

Australia

Sheena Sullivan

University of Melbourne - Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity ( email )

792 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne, 3000
Australia

Brett Sutton

Victorian Government - Department of Health and Human Services ( email )

Melbourne
Australia

Cheng AC

Monash University - Department of Infectious Diseases ( email )