Clinical Frailty Score as a Predictor of Mortality among Patients with COVID-19 Presenting to a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

The association of Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) with COVID-19 mortality has got prognostic value in some research work. National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines suggest use of CFS in making important decisions regarding COVID-19 patients’ management. Objective: To determine the prognostic validity of clinical frailty score with COVID 19 severity among patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital. Methods: It was a comparative cross sectional study carried out at COVID-19 dedicated ICU, HDU and ward, Jinnah Hospital Lahore from January 2021 to June 2021. Forty-eight patients, fulfilling the inclusion criteria, were recruited for the study after informed consent. Subjects were categorized as low and high frailty on basis of CFS score and outcome was evaluated. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 24.0. Results: Among forty-eight subjects included in study, in subjects with age range of 40 - 60 years, 58.3% were having low CFS score and 50.0% were having high score. In low score group, 54.2% had ward stay with nasal or face mask oxygen as compare to 25.0% in high score group. Forty five percent had HDU/CPAP/ BiPAP in low CFS score group as compare to 41.7% and 33.3% required invasive ventilation with high score. (p=.005). Conclusion: COVID-19 patients with high frailty have with increase severity of disease requiring ICU invasive ventilation and increased mortality compared with non-frail patients with COVID-19.