Predictors of mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A Mexican population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 outbreak brings a challenge to healthcare systems. The sex, age, and cardiometabolic comorbidities have been considered risk factors for disease severity. To evaluate the association between risk factors with death as well the risk of death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. METHODS: The present cross-sectional cohort study, includes hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 confirmed cases. Data analysis was performed using the National COVID-19 Cases Report Database. Pearson’s χ(2) test and odds ratios (95% CI) were calculated to determine the association between variables. Thereafter, risk of death was evaluated by Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: A total of 67 328 inpatients were included; mean age 55.29 years (±15.97). Of total, 42 164 (62.62%) were men, 6 349 (9.43%) were intubated, and 23 873 (35.46%) died. Male sex, age older than 60 years, and cardiometabolic comorbidities were associated with death. Hazard ratio for death in older intubated patients was lower than in non-intubated (HR 1.242, 95%CI, 1.167–1.322; P < 0.001) and (HR 2.128, 95%CI, 2.066–2.193; P < 0.001) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Tracheal intubation or not is the most important predictor for death in COVID-19 infected patients in this Mexican cohort. Already known risk factors for COVID-19 severity may become less relevant once patients require tracheal intubation.