Prediction of Mortality Using the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• COVID-19 poses a significant mortality risk, particularly in intensive care unit (ICU) settings.
• Accurate prediction of mortality is crucial for effective patient management and resource allocation.
• The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score is a widely used clinical tool for assessing organ dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the SOFA score in predicting mortality risk among ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients.
• To determine the association between SOFA scores and COVID-19 severity and mortality.
• To assess the predictive value of SOFA scores at different time points (admission and 48 hours).

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a COVID-19 ICU.
• 62 patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to the ICU were included.
• SOFA scores were calculated at ICU admission and 48 hours post-admission, and correlated with mortality outcomes.

Main Results:

• The study population was predominantly male (54.8%).
• A significant proportion of patients (46.8%) had a SOFA score >7 at admission and 48 hours.
• The overall mortality rate was 43.5%, with significant differences in SOFA scores between survivors and non-survivors (p=0.001).

Conclusions:

• The SOFA score demonstrates a significant positive association with COVID-19 severity.
• SOFA scores at admission and 48 hours are reliable predictors of mortality risk in ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients.
• The findings support the utility of the SOFA score in clinical decision-making for critically ill COVID-19 patients.