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Body temperature as a predictor of mortality in COVID-19
Shuhei Uchiyama1,2, Tomoki Sakata1, Serena Tharakan1
1Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1014, New York, NY, USA.
Insights
Body temperature (BT) can predict COVID-19 mortality. High maximum BT during hospitalization independently predicted increased mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 patients, while vaccination reduced deaths.
Area of Science:
- Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- The prognostic value of body temperature (BT) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unclear.
- Understanding predictors of mortality is crucial for managing COVID-19 patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between body temperature and mortality in COVID-19 patients.
- To determine if body temperature is an independent predictor of mortality in COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study using de-identified data from 24,293 COVID-19 patients screened between February 2020 and July 2021.
- Extracted data included initial BT, maximum BT during hospitalization, comorbidities, and vaccination status.
- Mortality rate was assessed as the primary outcome, with logistic regression analyses performed.
Main Results:
- Patients with initial BT below 36°C had higher mortality (OR 2.82).
- Initial BT above 38°C was associated with increased mortality, showing an incremental trend.
- Maximum BT during hospitalization was positively associated with mortality, except in patients with BT < 36°C.
- Maximum BT was an independent predictor of mortality, even after accounting for comorbidities.
- Vaccinated patients had decreased mortality.
Conclusions:
- High maximum body temperature is an independent predictor of increased mortality in COVID-19 patients.
- Body temperature, particularly maximum temperature during hospitalization, serves as a valuable prognostic indicator in COVID-19.
- Vaccination status is associated with reduced mortality in COVID-19 patients.
Abstract:
It remains uncertain if body temperature (BT) is a useful prognostic indicator in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We investigated the relationship between BT and mortality in COVID-19 patients. We used a de-identified database that prospectively collected information from patients screened for COVID-19 at the Mount Sinai facilities from February 28, 2020 to July 28, 2021. All patients diagnosed with COVID-19 that had BT data were included. BT at initial presentation, maximum BT during hospitalization, comorbidity, and vaccination status data were extracted. Mortality rate was assessed as a primary outcome. Among 24,293 cases, patients with initial BT below 36 °C had higher mortality than those with BT of 36-37 °C (p < 0.001, odds ratio 2.82). Initial BT > 38 °C was associated with high mortality with an incremental trend at higher BT. In 10,503 in-patient cases, a positive association was observed between mortality and maximum BT except in patients with BT < 36 °C. Multiple logistic regression analyses including the comorbidities revealed that maximum BT was an independent predictor of mortality. While vaccination did not change the distribution of maximum BT, mortality was decreased in vaccinated patients. Our retrospective cohort study suggests that high maximum BT is an independent predictor of higher mortality in COVID-19 patients.
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