Evaluation of the Potential Risk of Mortality from SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Hospitalized Patients According to the Charlson Comorbidity Index

• Published in: Healthcare (Basel) Vol. 10; no. 2; p. 362
• Main Authors: Gutierrez-Camacho, Jose Roberto, Avila-Carrasco, Lorena, Murillo-Ruíz-Esparza, Alberto, Garza-Veloz, Idalia, Araujo-Espino, Roxana, Martinez-Vazquez, Maria Calixta, Trejo-Ortiz, Perla M, Rodriguez-Sanchez, Iram Pablo, Delgado-Enciso, Iván, Castañeda-López, Maria E, Gamón-Madrid, Araceli, Martinez-Fierro, Margarita L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 12.02.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: charlson index; Comorbidity; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Fatalities; Mortality; Obesity; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; COVID-19; charlson index; SARS-CoV-2; comorbidity; obesity
• ISSN: 2227-9032; 2227-9032
• DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10020362

The pandemic of COVID-19 has represented a major threat to global public health in the last century and therefore to identify predictors of mortality among COVID-19 hospitalized patients is widely justified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible usefulness of Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) as mortality predictor in patients hospitalized because COVID-19. This study was carried out in Zacatecas, Mexico, and it included 705 hospitalized patients with suspected of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Clinical data were collected, and the CCI score was calculated online using the calculator from the Sociedad Andaluza de Medicina Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias; the result was evaluated as mortality predictor among the patients with COVID-19. 377 patients were positive for SARS-COV-2. Obesity increased the risk of intubation among the study population (odds ratio (OR) = 2.59; 95 CI: 1.36-4.92; = 0.003). The CCI values were higher in patients who died because of COVID-19 complications than those observed in patients who survived ( < 0.001). Considering a CCI cutoff > 31.69, the area under the ROC curve was 0.75, with a sensitivity and a specificity of 63.6% and 87.7%, respectively. Having a CCI value > 31.69 increased the odds of death by 12.5 times among the study population (95% CI: 7.3-21.4; < 0.001). The CCI is a suitable tool for the prediction of mortality in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. The presence of comorbidities in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 reflected as CCI > 31.69 increased the risk of death among the study population, so it is important to take precautionary measures in patients due to their condition and their increased vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection.