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Volume 31, Number 2—February 2025
Dispatch
Acute Q Fever Patients Requiring Intensive Care Unit Support in Tropical Australia, 2015–2023
Table 1
Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients in study of acute Q fever infections requiring intensive care unit support in tropical Australia, 2015–2023*
| Variable | Total no. patients with data† | All patients | Required ICU admission, n = 9 | No ICU admission required, n = 118 | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median age, y (IQR) |
127 |
54 (44–65) |
60 (53–69) |
54 (43–64) |
0.14 |
| Patient sex | |||||
| M | 127 | 96 (76) | 6 (67) | 90 (76) | 0.69 |
| F |
127 |
31 (24) |
3 (33) |
28 (24) |
0.69 |
| First Nations Australian‡ | 127 | 12 (9) | 3 (33) | 9 (8) | 0.04 |
| Rural residence |
127 |
106 (84) |
8 (89) |
99 (84) |
1.0 |
| Vaccinated against Coxiella burnetii | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
| Immunocompromised | 127 | 5 (4) | 0 | 5 (4) | 1.0 |
| Pregnant female patients |
31 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
NA |
| Median initial symptom duration, d (IQR) | 124 | 5 (3–7) | 7 (7–8) | 5 (3–7) | 0.055 |
| Supplemental oxygen required§ |
57 |
6 (11) |
2 (22) |
4/48 (8) |
0.24 |
| Median systolic blood pressure,§ mm Hg (IQR) | 57 | 130 (120–141) | 122 (100–136) | 131 (123–141) | 0.051 |
| Median heart rate,§ beats/min (IQR) | 57 | 94 (77–104) | 100 (90–115) | 93 (74–104) | 0.14 |
| Median body temperature,§ °C (IQR) |
57 |
37.4 (36.8–38.4) |
37.2 (36.8–37.8) |
37.9 (36.7–38.6) |
0.71 |
| Impaired consciousness§ | 56 | 0 | 0 | 0/47 | NA |
| Early warning score (Q-ADDS)¶ |
57 |
2 (1–4) |
4 (2–8) |
2 (1–3) |
0.01 |
| Hepatitis# | 127 | 79 (62) | 2 (22) | 77 (65) | 0.03 |
| Both hepatitis and pneumonia#** |
127 |
33 (26) |
6 (67) |
28 (24) |
0.01 |
| Elevated cardiac biomarkers | 21 | 6 (29) | 2/6 (33) | 4/15 (27) | 1.0 |
| Abnormal chest radiograph§ |
104 |
27 (26) |
5 (56) |
22/95 (23) |
0.049 |
| Died | 127 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NA |
*Values are no. (%) except as indicated. p values compare the number of patients requiring ICU admission with the number of patients not requiring ICU admission for each variable. IQR, interquartile range; NA, not applicable; Q-ADDS, Queensland Adult Deterioration Detection System. †Retrospective nature of this study precluded collection of complete data for each variable, especially for vital signs reported when the patient was first seen. ‡All patients seeking care in the Australia public health system are asked whether they identify as a First Nations Australian (Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander). §When patients were first seen. ¶Early warning score using vital signs, calculated on initial review. #Hepatitis defined as a peak of elevated transaminase enzymes >2 times the upper limit of reference range during the patient’s illness. **Pneumonia defined as dyspnea, cough, or hemoptysis or radiographic abnormalities.
1Current affiliation: Royal Hobart Hospital, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.