Mucormycosis in COVID-19 Patients: A Case-Control Study

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The second wave of COVID-19 in India saw a concurrent surge in mucormycosis cases, increasing fatality.
• Mucormycosis, a serious fungal infection, poses a significant threat to patients with COVID-19.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with the occurrence of mucormycosis in patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
• To investigate the relationship between baseline clinical markers and mucormycosis development in COVID-19 patients.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 121 patients (61 cases of mucormycosis with COVID-19, 60 controls).
• Data collected from April 10, 2021, with a 90-day follow-up assessing health status using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS).

Main Results:

• Cases with COVID-19 and mucormycosis were older than controls.
• Elevated baseline serum creatinine (OR=4.963) and D-dimer (OR=1.000) were independently associated with mucormycosis.
• Diabetes mellitus (OR=26.919) was linked to poorer outcomes and increased mortality; 30/61 cases had intracranial involvement.

Conclusions:

• Elevated baseline creatinine and D-dimer levels were observed in COVID-19 patients with mucormycosis compared to controls.
• Diabetes mellitus is a significant risk factor for poor outcomes and mortality in this patient group.
• Further research is needed to establish a definitive cause-effect relationship between these factors and mucormycosis in COVID-19.