Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 3, 2025

Cutoff Value of Phase Angle by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis at Admission as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Acute Heart Failure
05:16

Cutoff Value of Phase Angle by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis at Admission as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Acute Heart Failure

Published on: June 10, 2025

204

When Outcomes Diverge: Age and Cardiovascular Risk as Determinants of Mortality and ICU Admission in COVID-19

Marco Ranucci1, Gianfranco Parati2, Umberto Di Dedda1

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular Anesthesia and ICU, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, 20097 San Donato Milanese, Italy.

Journal of Clinical Medicine
|July 27, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Heart failure independently predicts mortality in COVID-19 patients, even after accounting for age. Elderly patients were less likely to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), possibly due to resource limitations during the pandemic.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Hospital mortality and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission are key indicators of COVID-19 severity.
  • Cardiovascular comorbidities significantly influence negative outcomes in COVID-19 patients.
  • The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical impact of comorbidities on patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of cardiovascular comorbidities on mortality and ICU admission in COVID-19 patients during the first wave.
  • To identify specific cardiovascular risk factors associated with adverse outcomes.
  • To analyze the relationship between pre-existing conditions and disease severity.

Main Methods:

  • A multicenter, retrospective cohort study involving 1077 COVID-19 patients.
  • Analysis of mortality and ICU admission as primary outcomes.
  • Exploration of cardiovascular risk factors as determinants of outcomes, with adjustment for confounders.

Main Results:

  • A history of heart failure was independently associated with increased mortality (HR 2.22, p=0.0013) after adjusting for age.
  • Age was a significant predictor of mortality, with an 8% increase in risk per year (HR 1.08, p=0.001).
  • Older age was associated with a decreased likelihood of ICU admission (HR 0.96, p=0.0002).

Conclusions:

  • Heart failure is a significant independent predictor of mortality in COVID-19 patients, beyond age.
  • Elderly patients were less likely to be admitted to the ICU, suggesting potential resource allocation or triage decisions during the pandemic's peak.
  • These findings underscore the importance of managing cardiovascular health in the context of COVID-19 and highlight potential disparities in critical care access.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19cardiovascular risk factorsheart failure

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