PLoS ONE (Jan 2020)

Simple predictive models identify patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and poor prognosis.

  • Mar Riveiro-Barciela,
  • Moisés Labrador-Horrillo,
  • Laura Camps-Relats,
  • Didac González-Sans,
  • Meritxell Ventura-Cots,
  • María Terrones-Peinador,
  • Andrea Nuñez-Conde,
  • Mónica Martínez-Gallo,
  • Manuel Hernández,
  • Andrés Antón,
  • Antonio González,
  • Ricardo Pujol-Borrell,
  • Fernando Martínez-Valle

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244627
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 12
p. e0244627

Abstract

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Background and aimsIdentification of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients at high-risk of poor prognosis is crucial. We aimed to establish predictive models for COVID-19 pneumonia severity in hospitalized patients.MethodsRetrospective study of 430 patients admitted in Vall d'Hebron Hospital (Barcelona) between 03-12-2020 and 04-28-2020 due to COVID-19 pneumonia. Two models to identify the patients who required high-flow-oxygen-support were generated, one using baseline data and another with also follow-up analytical results. Calibration was performed by a 1000-bootstrap replication model.Results249 were male, mean age 57.9 years. Overall, 135 (31.4%) required high-flow-oxygen-support. The baseline predictive model showed a ROC of 0.800 based on: SpO2/FiO2 (adjusted Hazard Ratio-aHR = 8), chest x-ray (aHR = 4), prior immunosuppressive therapy (aHR = 4), obesity (aHR = 2), IL-6 (aHR = 2), platelets (aHR = 0.5). The cut-off of 11 presented a specificity of 94.8%. The second model included changes on the analytical parameters: ferritin (aHR = 7.5 if ≥200ng/mL) and IL-6 (aHR = 18 if ≥64pg/mL) plus chest x-ray (aHR = 2) showing a ROC of 0.877. The cut-off of 12 exhibited a negative predictive value of 92%.ConclusionsSpO2/FiO2 and chest x-ray on admission or changes on inflammatory parameters as IL-6 and ferritin allow us early identification of COVID-19 patients at risk of high-flow-oxygen-support that may benefit from a more intensive disease management.