Effectiveness of Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (CoronaVac) on Survival at Intensive Care Unit: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: This study compared the course of COVID-19 in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) and evaluated the effect of vaccination with CoronaVac on admission to ICU.

Methods: Patients admitted to ICU due to COVID-19 between 1 April 2021 and 15 May 2021 were enrolled to the study. Clinical, laboratory, radiological parameters, hospital and intensive care unit mortality were compared between vaccinated patients and eligible but unvaccinated patients. Patients over 65 years old were the target population of the study due to the national vaccination schedule.

Results: Data from 90 patients were evaluated. Of these, 36 (40.0%) were vaccinated. All patients had the CoronaVac vaccine. Lactate dehydrogenase and ferritin levels were higher in unvaccinated group than vaccinated group (p=0.021 and 0.008, respectively). SpO2 from the first arterial blood gas at ICU was 83.71±19.50 % in vaccinated, 92.36±6.59 % in unvaccinated patients (p=0.003). Length of ICU and hospital stay were not different (p=0.204, 0.092, respectively).  ICU and hospital mortality were similar between groups (p=0.11 and 0.70, respectively).

Conclusions: CoronaVac vaccine had no effect on survival from COVID-19. CoronaVac’s protective effect, especially on new genetic variants, should be investigated further.