DISCUSSION
In the study, age, chronic illness, length of stay and biochemical blood parameters of the patients were evaluated separately and their effects on the risk of death were investigated. In our study, the mortality rate of patients ≥65 was found to be higher. Similarly, Ergenc et al. (21) found that patients with ≥65 deaths had a higher mortality rate. In the study of Teker et al. (22), found that the course of COVID-19 disease worsened with age and deaths increased. . Unver-Ulusoy et al. (23) found that 68.8% of the patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit were 65 years and older. According to the information reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the mortality rate observed in ≥65 patients is higher (24). It is thought that weakened immune functions in elderly patients predispose to infection (25). Therefore, it is thought that the mortality rate may be higher in patients over 65.
In our study, it is seen that the mortality rate is higher in patients with chronic diseases. Wang et al. (26) reported that elderly people are at higher risk for chronic diseases and infections, and that mortality due to COVID-19 increases in those with hypertension and coronary heart disease. Reyes-Sánchez et al. (27) in his study on adults who tested positive for COVID-19 in Mexico, revealed that chronic diseases may be associated with the severity of COVID-19 and deaths. Considering the information in the literature, it is seen that the state of chronic illness can be used as a leading parameter in estimating the course of the disease.
In our study, it was concluded that the risk of death from COVID-19 did not differ significantly by gender. However, it is seen that there are different results in the literature. The effect of gender on the risk of COVID-19 and death was investigated by Doerre and Doblhammer (28). In the study, it was determined that the mortality rate in men was 2 times higher than that in women. Unver-Ulusoy et al. (23) found that men have a higher risk of death. Peckham et al. (29) found that male patients were almost three times more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit than females and had higher mortality rates. Considering the results in the literature, it can be said that men are in the disadvantaged group in deaths caused by COVID-19.
The hospitalization time of the patients who died was found to be higher. According to Rozman et al. (30), the probability of being discharged within the first 7 days after hospitalization was 36.5%, while the probability of dying in the same period was 7.9%. On the 21st day, the probability of being discharged increased to 72.9%, while the probability of death increased to 14.4%. da Costa Sousa et al. (31) revealed that a longer hospital stay may be related to age. More comprehensive studies are needed to explain the relationship between length of stay and death.
In our study, the diagnostic power of biochemical blood parameters of COVID-19 patients was investigated. Among the biochemical parameters included in the study, the AUC values of Urea, LDH, Albumin and CRP were found to be high (0.8-0.9). Among these parameters, the highest AUC value belongs to CRP. Logistic regression analysis was performed to understand the effect of biochemical parameters on the risk of death. The increase in Glucose, Urea, ALP and LDH values increased the risk of death; It was observed that the increase in Albumin, Calcium and Potassium values decreased the risk of death. In the study of Ergenç et al. (21), WBC, procalcitonin, troponin, ferritin, monocytes, INR, LDH, AST, ALT, MVC and PLT values were found to be higher in the old ex. Ferrari et al. (32) stated that simple hematological tests can be used in the diagnosis of COVID-19 in developing countries where RT-PCR testing is limited.
Strength and Limitation of the Study
The biggest strength of this study is the high sample size and the use of various biochemical blood values.
The major limitation of this study is that it is a retrospective study with its own limitations.
Conflict of Interest
There is no conflict of interest
Financial Support
No financial support
Patient Consent
It is a study that does not require patient consent.
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