The Charlson Comorbidity Index as a Predictor of mortality in hospitalized Covid-19 patients during the pandemic

This study aimed to predict the risk of mortality among COVID-19 patients in the central region of Iran by employing the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), with adjustments made for age in the predictive model.

In this cross-sectional study, encompassing all probable, suspicious, and confirmed COVID-19 cases from the onset of the pandemic (55307 individuals), 3415 cases resulting in death were designated as the study group, while the survivors constituted the control group.

The Charlson Comorbidity Index revealed that over 11 percent of all patients had at least one underlying medical condition. Logistic regression analysis indicated a significantly elevated likelihood of mortality among patients with comorbidities. Specifically, individuals with a CCI score of 6 or higher were more than twice as likely to succumb to the virus compared to those without underlying diseases. Those with a score of 6 or more exhibited the highest odds ratio (OR 2.4; 95% CI 1.3-4.5).

The study findings underscore the heightened vulnerability of individuals to COVID-19 mortality, particularly among the elderly with pre-existing health conditions. The coexistence of age and comorbidities substantially increased the risk of death due to COVID-19 in this population. Consequently, targeted interventions and focused care strategies may be crucial for this high-risk demographic in pandemic management efforts.