Factors that can predict poor outcomes in critically ill patients with COVID-19

What is it about?

Despite the development of effective medicines to treat COVID-19, the mortality rates in critically ill patients remain high. However, the reasons for this remain unclear. COVID-19 is a variable disease that causes many complications. This makes it difficult for doctors to predict its outcomes in patients. Now, a 2021 paper presents a solution to this problem. The authors examined 160 critically ill patients with COVID-19 who needed to be given a high flow of oxygen. Their aim was to identify factors that could predict the death of these patients reliably. The authors saw a correlation between mortality and serum albumin, interleukin 6, and D-dimer levels in the blood of these patients. These factors, along with a disease severity score calculated using a chest scan, could be used to predict mortality in these patients. These markers play a role in the immune response and clotting mechanisms that increase COVID-19 severity. Hence, they can be used to predict patient outcomes like death in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

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Photo by Amir Arabshahi on Unsplash

Photo by Amir Arabshahi on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The mortality rate among critical patients with COVID-19 is concerning. This group is at a higher risk of death. Therefore, assessing the disease severity in these patients is important. In this sense, these predictors of mortality are crucial. They may reveal the progress of the disease. They allow doctors to predict which patients have higher chances of becoming critically ill. This, in turn, aids in the timely modification of their treatment options and improving disease outcomes. KEY TAKEAWAY: The predictors of mortality in COVID-19 can help identify patients who are more prone to developing severe COVID-19 or dying due to the disease. Understanding this could improve treatment outcomes among patients with severe COVID-19 and reduce the death rates among them.