Trends in COVID-19-related in-hospital mortality in women and men

Whether political, scientific and medical development in a country is associated with better clinical results according to gender in patients with COVID-19 has not yet been clearly elucidated.

To determine the trends of COVID-19-related in-hospital mortality in women and men from March 2020 to February 2022.

Clinical data of all patients with COVID-19 cared for at 21 Spanish hospitals were used, both of those who were discharged and of those who died during hospitalization. The association between hospital length of stay and mortality was analyzed with logistic regression models.

Out of 7,974 patients that were included, 3,234 were women; 928 patients died. A significant decreasing trend in mortality was identified. When the analysis was carried out by gender, no significant mortality trend was found in women (OR = 0.96 [0.90-1.03], p = 0.239), while in men there was a significant decreasing trend identified (OR = 0.87 [0.82-0.92], p < 0.001).

Health policies, together with clinical and preventive interventions, may explain these results. Response to treatment and behavioral differences may explain why mortality does not decrease for women.