Objective: To identify the clinical predictors of mortality in COVID-19 patients.
A retrospective study including 150 patients with confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan city, Hubei Province, China showed rapid emergence of the infection and its association with mortality. Mortality and discharge were observed in 68 (45%) and 82 (55%) cases, respectively.
Key Findings
Following observations were reported:
- A. There was a significant age difference between the death group and the discharge group (p <0 xss=removed>
- B. Laboratory parameters for the outcomes showed significant differences in cardiac troponin, myoglobin, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) between the two groups (p <0>
- In the death group (68 cases), the distribution of survival times from COVID-19 onset to death showed two peaks: first one at approximately 14 days (22 cases) and second one at approximately 22 days (17 cases).
- Among 68 death cases reported, 36 patients (53%) died due to respiratory failure, 5 patients (7%) with myocardial damage died of circulatory failure, 22 patients (33%) died of both, and remaining 5 patients (7%) died of an unknown cause.
The results also suggest that COVID-19 mortality might be due to virus-activated cytokine storm syndrome or fulminant myocarditis. Thus, physicians should pay attention to the symptoms of both, respiratory dysfunction and cardiac injury.
Reference: Ruan, Q., Yang, K., Wang, W. et al. Clinical predictors of mortality due to COVID-19 based on an analysis of data of 150 patients from Wuhan, China. Intensive Care Med (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-05991-x
