The independent factors associated with oxygen therapy in COVID-19 patients under 65 years old

BACKGROUND: The number of hospitalized young coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients has increased significantly. However, specific data about COVID-19 patients under 65 years old who are admitted to the hospital are scarce. METHODS: The COVID-19 patients under 65 years old who were admitted to the hospital in Sichuan Province, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, and Wuhan Red Cross Hospital were included in this study. Demographic information, laboratory data and clinical treatment courses were extracted from electronic medical records. Risk factors associated with oxygen therapy were explored. RESULTS: Eight hundred thirty-three COVID-19 patients under 65 years old were included. Of the included patients, 29.4% had one or more comorbidities. Oxygen therapy was required in 63.1% of these patients, and the mortality was 2.9% among the oxygen therapy patients. Fever (odds ratio [OR] 2.072, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.312–3.271, p = 0.002), dyspnea (OR 2.522, 95% CI 1.213–5.243, p = 0.013), chest distress (OR 2.278, 95% CI 1.160–4.473, p = 0.017), elevated respiratory rate (OR 1.114, 95% CI 1.010–1.228, p = 0.031), and decreased albumin (OR 0.932, 95% CI 0.880–0.987, p = 0.016) and globulin levels (OR 0.929, 95% 0.881–0.980, p = 0.007) were independent factors related to oxygen therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Oxygen therapy is highly required in COVID-19 patients under 65 years old who are admitted to the hospital, but the success rate is high. Respiratory failure-related symptoms, elevated respiratory rate, low albumin and globulin levels, and fever at admission are independent risk factors related to the requirement of oxygen.