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Background: Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, concerns raised by the growing number of deaths worldwide. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and extrapulmonary complications can correlate with prognosis in COVID-19 patients. This study evaluated the association of systemic complications with mortality in severely affected COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was done on 51 intensive care unit (ICU)-admitted COVID-19 adult patients who were admitted to the ICU ward of Khorshid hospital, affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Only the patients who had a definite hospitalization outcome (dead vs. survivors) were included in the study. Daily clinical and paraclinical records were used to diagnose in-hospital complications in these patients. Results: The sample was comprised of 37 males (72.5%) and 14 females (27.4%). The median age of patients was 63 years (Min: 20, Max: 84), with the mortality rate of 47.1%. In total, 70.6% of patients had at least one coexisting disorder. Chronic kidney disease was associated with the worse outcome (29.16% of dead patients against 3.70 of survived ones). Mechanical ventilation was used in 58.8% of patients. Patients who had received invasive ventilation were more likely to die (87.50% of dead patients against 7.40 of survivors), Complications including sepsis and secondary infections (odds ratio: 8.05, confidence interval: 2.11–30.63) was the strongest predictors of mortality. Conclusion: Complications including sepsis and secondary infections can increase the risk of death in ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients. Therefore, it is substantial that the physicians consider preventing or controlling these complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 is rapidly scattering worldwide, and the number of cases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region is rising. Thus, there is a need for immediate targeted actions. We designed a longitudinal study in a hot outbreak zone to analyze the serial findings between infected patients for detecting temporal changes from February 2020. In a hospital-based open-cohort study, patients are followed from admission until one year from their discharge (the 1st, 4th, 12th weeks, and the first year). The patient recruitment phase finished at the end of August 2020, and the follow-up continues by the end of August 2021. The measurements included demographic, socio-economics, symptoms, health service diagnosis and treatment, contact history, and psychological variables. The signs improvement, death, length of stay in hospital were considered primary, and impaired pulmonary function and psychotic disorders were considered main secondary outcomes. Moreover, clinical symptoms and respiratory functions are being determined in such follow-ups. Among the first 600 COVID-19 cases, 490 patients with complete information (39% female; the average age of 57±15 years) were analyzed. Seven percent of these patients died. The three main leading causes of admission were: fever (77%), dry cough (73%), and fatigue (69%). The most prevalent comorbidities between COVID-19 patients were hypertension (35%), diabetes (28%), and ischemic heart disease (14%). The percentage of primary composite endpoints (PCEP), defined as death, the use of mechanical ventilation, or admission to an intensive care unit was 18%. The Cox Proportional-Hazards Model for PCEP indicated the following significant risk factors: Oxygen saturation < 80% (HR = 6.3; [CI 95%: 2.5,15.5]), lymphopenia (HR = 3.5; [CI 95%: 2.2,5.5]), Oxygen saturation 80%-90% (HR = 2.5; [CI 95%: 1.1,5.8]), and thrombocytopenia (HR = 1.6; [CI 95%: 1.1,2.5]). This long-term prospective Cohort may support healthcare professionals in the management of resources following this pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]