DETERMINANTS OF MORTALITY IN PATIENTS OF COVID-19 BRONCHOPNEUMONIA: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Background & objectives:COVID-19, an emerging viral disease affected more than 200 countries worldwide andnovel coronavirus pandemic has caused significant mortality throughout the world.The present study was undertaken to identify the determinants of mortality in COVID-19 bronchopneumonia patients. Methods:A total of160 COVID RT-PCR and RAT positive patients with evidence of bronchopneumonia were admitted in medicine covid ward and ICU above the age of 12 years were included in the study during a period of 2.5 years from July 2020- August 2022.Patients were divided into two groups- Survivors (119 patients) and non-Survivors (41 patients). Various sociodemographic factors, clinical symptoms, NEWS-2 scores inflammatory markers,imaging modalities,oxygen levels,type and duration of oxygenation support given were compared between two groups. Results:The sociodemographic data included age, gender and place of residence was not statistically significant with the outcome(mortality) whereas greater number of preexisting medical conditions, requirement of higher quantity of oxygen, various lab parameters (higher values of CRP, Ferritin, LDH, D-Dimer, N-L ratio) and a higher score in NEWS-2, HRCT and chest x-ray was statistically significant factor associated with mortality in our patients suffering from COVID-19 bronchopneumonia. Interpretation & Conclusions:We thereby conclude that, patients in the mortality group had greater number of preexisting medical conditions higher requirement of oxygen at the time of admission, higher NEWS-2 score, N-L ratio, CRP, Ferritin, LDH, D-dimer, Chest x-ray score & HRCT severity score and hence these parameters may be used to predict disease severity, especially in resource-limited settings.