[Risk factors for mortality in patients over 65 years old hospitalized by COVID-19]

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has caused a global pandemic that we are currently suffering from.

to identify factors associated with the death of patients aged 65 years or older hospitalized for COVID-19.

Retrospective cohort study. We included patients aged 65 years or older who were hospitalized for COVID-19 and dead o discharged between March 5 and 25, 2020. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression methods to explore the risk factors associated with in-hospital death.

277 patients were included in this study. The bivariate analysis showed significant differences (p<0.05) between survivors and non survivors: age, increased dependence and comorbidity, history of ischemic heart disease, renal failure and non-hematological neoplasms, heart failure during admission, leukocytosis, elevated creatinine, PCR, GOT and troponin Ic values, lymphopenia, and decreased blood pH and SatO2. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that age ≥65 years (OR: 4.23 (95% CI: 1.43-12.52; p=0.009), lymphopenia <1000/μL (OR: 2.36 (95% CI: 1.07-5.20; p=0.033), creatinine>1.2mg/dL (OR: 3.08 (95% CI: 1.37-6.92; p=0.006), SatO₂ <90% (OR: 2.29 (95% CI: 1.01-5.21; p=0.049) and troponin Ic>11ng/mL (OR: 2.32 (95% CI: 1.04-5.16; p=0.040) were independently associated with higher hospital mortality.

Older age, lymphopenia, SatO₂ <90%, elevated creatinine and troponin Ic values were independently associated with higher mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, these factors could help clinicians to identify patients with poor prognosis.