Thread by @ScottGottliebMD

THREAD: We compared age distribution of deaths during 1918 Spanish Flu to ICU admissions from #COVID19 in China and U.S. on premise that some of those surviving prolonged ICU admissions in 2020 may have been people who'd be accounted for in death statistics in 1918.

In both the limited data set describing the U.S. experience to date, and larger data set from China, we see some relative correlation between age distribution of those being admitted to the ICU for #COVID19 and the age distribution of those who died from the Spanish Flu in 1918.

Among older people 65+ there is a strong skewing toward high ICU admissions from #COVID19. But it's important to look at demographic data and recognize that in 1918 there were far fewer people aged 65+. If #COVID19 had circulated in 1918, there might have been a similar skew.

This data doesn't prove any thesis but is worth considering in view of statements that #COVID19 is just affecting older patients, as tragic as such an outcome would be. There are many younger people suffering prolonged ICU stays.

Younger people are able to survive prolonged critical care at higher rate than older individuals. But many younger people will suffer long term sequelae for those prolonged admissions and interventions required. #COVID19 is not sparing any age, except thankfully the very young.