Severe COVID tied to high risk of death, mostly by other causes, within year - CIDRAP

Relative to uninfected patients, those recovered from severe COVID-19 younger than 65 years had a 233% increased risk of dying in the next year.

The risk of death was higher for survivors of severe COVID-19 than for the uninfected (hazard ratio [HR], 2.50) and those who were mildly ill (HR, 1.87).

Among patients 65 years or older, the pattern was similar, but the risk of death for survivors of severe COVID-19 was higher than in COVID-19–negative patients (HR, 3.33) and mildly ill patients (HR, 2.83).

In their conclusion, the researchers said, "The benefits of preventing severe COVID-19 goes beyond flattening the curve for overwhelming the health system with hospitalized patients but extends to decreased 12-month mortality risk for conditions other than COVID-19 directly."