STUDY OF RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MUCORMYCOSIS IN COVID-19 PANDEMIC AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN INDIA

Abstract

Background: The second wave of SARS-COV2 pandemic in India has witnessed a massive increase in the number of mucormycosis cases. The present study is aimed at evaluating the risk factors associated with the development of mucormycosis. The case-control study involved Methods: patients admitted to the general medicine and ENT wards of a tertiary care government hospital in India between 1st June and 31st July 2021. During the study period, 70 cases of mucormycosis were compared with 140 biologically-matched controls. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to evaluate the association of the following parameters with the development of mucormycosis: demographic factors, severe acute respiratory illness (SARI)/COVID-19, RT-PCR swab status, comorbidities, CT severity grading, and use of steroids, antibiotics, antivirals, anticoagulants, immunomodulators, and oxygen therapy. The st Results: udy involved a total of 210 subjects (70 cases and 140 controls). The ndings of univariate analysis demonstrated that SARI, high-dose steroid use (cumulative dose of dexamethasone ≥40 mg for 5 days), diabetes mellitus, usage of remdesivir, CT severity grade more than moderate were associated with statistically signicant odds for developing mucormycosis. Multivariate analysis showed individual association of SARI, diabetes mellitus and high-dose steroid with the development of mucormycosis. SARI, diabetes mellitus, and high-dose corticosteroids Conclusion: are found to be risk factors in developing mucormycosis, which requires immediate medical attention in this current pandemic.