A Convenient Risk Prediction Score for COVID-19 for Determining Whether or Not Hospitalization Is Recommended:...

Area of Science:

• Medical Science
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed healthcare systems, necessitating efficient patient triage.
• The Kanagawa admission priority assessment score (KAPAS) was developed to guide hospitalization decisions for COVID-19 patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the correlation between KAPAS scores and the need for oxygen therapy in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
• To assess the utility of KAPAS in predicting oxygen requirements and informing triage decisions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 117 COVID-19 patients admitted between February and December 2020.
• Patients were categorized into oxygen-requiring (OXY) and non-oxygen-requiring (NOXY) groups.
• Correlation analysis of KAPAS-1 and KAPAS-2 scores with oxygen requirement was performed.

Main Results:

• Median KAPAS-1 and KAPAS-2 scores were significantly higher in the OXY group compared to the NOXY group.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed strong predictive values for oxygen requirement (AUCs 0.777 for KAPAS-1, 0.825 for KAPAS-2).
• A higher proportion of OXY patients had high KAPAS-1 (90.0%) and high KAPAS-2 (90.0%) scores compared to NOXY patients.

Conclusions:

• The KAPAS demonstrates a significant correlation with oxygen requirement in COVID-19 patients.
• KAPAS is a valuable tool for identifying patients likely to need hospitalization and oxygen therapy.
• The score aids in selecting non-hospitalized patients who require close monitoring.