{Reference Type}: Observational Study
{Title}: Major Bleeding Events in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Observational Study.
{Author}: Poloni A;Casalini G;Pozza G;Giacomelli A;Colaneri M;Carrozzo G;Caloni B;Ciubotariu CL;Zacheo M;Rabbione A;Pieruzzi M;Barone F;Passerini M;Ridolfo AL;Rizzardini G;Gori A;Antinori S;
{Journal}: Medicina (Kaunas)
{Volume}: 60
{Issue}: 5
{Year}: 2024 May 15
{Factor}: 2.948
{DOI}: 10.3390/medicina60050814
{Abstract}: Thromboprophylaxis/anticoagulation treatment is often required in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of major bleeding events in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. This was a retrospective observational study including all COVID-19 hospitalized patients ≥18 years of age at one reference center in northern Italy. The crude prevalence (between February 2020-2022) of major bleeding events was estimated as the number of major bleeding episodes divided by patients at risk. Uni- and multivariable Cox models were built to assess factors potentially associated with major bleeding events. Twenty-nine (0.98%) out of 2,945 COVID-19 patients experienced a major bleeding event [prevalence of 0.55% (95%CI 0.37-0.79)], of which five were fatal. Patients who experienced a major bleeding event were older [78 years (72-84 IQR) vs. 67 years (55-78 IQR), p-value < 0.001] and more frequently exposed to anti-aggregating therapy (44.8% vs. 20.0%, p-value 0.002) when compared to those who did not. In the multivariable Cox model, age [per 1 year more AHR 1.05 (CI95% 1.02-1.09)] was independently associated with an increased risk of major bleeding events. A strict monitoring of older hospitalized COVID-19 patients is warranted due to the risk of major bleeding events.