Retrospective Analysis of Do-Not-Resuscitate Status in Down Syndrome Patients During COVID-19

This retrospective study analyzed over 1.7 million hospital encounters with COVID-19 and pneumonia across 825 hospitals to examine disparities in end-of-life care decisions. Individuals with Down syndrome had significantly higher odds (6.3:1) of receiving Do-Not-Resuscitate orders at hospital admission compared to those without Down syndrome, even after controlling for age and comorbidities, raising concerns about potential ableist bias in clinical decision-making.