Prognostic factors registered on admission to the hospital related to
mortality risk in cancer patients with COVID-19: a retrospective cohort
study
Abstract
Background: Cancer patients are a particularly vulnerable risk group of
the severe course of COVID-19 due to, i.e. suppression of the immune
system. The study aimed to find links between parameters registered on
admission to the hospital, and the risk of latter death in oncology
patients with COVID-19. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: The
study included patients with a reported history of malignant tumor
(N=151) and the control group with no history of cancer (N=151)
hospitalized due to COVID-19 between March 2020 and August 2021. The
variables registered on admission were divided into categories for which
we calculated the multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. Results:
The median age of the study group was 68 years (min-max: 17-95). 50.33%
(76/151) were women. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were
successfully obtained for the following categories: Patient data,
Comorbidities, Signs recorded on admission, Medications used before
hospitalization and Laboratory results recorded on admission. With the
models developed for oncology patients, we identified the following
variables that registered on patients’ admission were linked to
significantly increased risk of death: male sex, presence of metastases
in neoplastic disease, impaired consciousness (somnolence or confusion),
wheezes/rhonchi, the levels of white blood cells and neutrophiles.
Conclusion: Identifying the predictors of a poorer prognosis may serve
clinicians in better tailoring treatment among cancer patients with
COVID-19. Our results can help develop prognostic models or compare the
results of other studies, which will translate into better treatment
management and better prognosis in this group of patients.