Predictors of Mortality and Neurological Complications in a Large Cohort of Patients With COVID-19

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between the baseline clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with COVID-19 and their risk of subsequent development of neurological complications and mortality. Methods: This retrospective, single-center cohort study included patients with COVID-19 who presented to the Emergency Department of Razi Hospital. Patients’ charts were reviewed to collect baseline clinical and laboratory data. Results: Of 2205 patients with COVID-19, 1473 (66.8%) developed various neurological complications in addition to other symptoms. Among the 168 patients who died, 66.66%, 43.5%, and 25% had a history of neurological disorders, encephalopathy, and stroke, respectively. Disease severity was significantly associated with comorbidities, hypoxemia, hypoalbuminemia, hypophosphatemia, elevated ESR, hypomagnesemia, stroke, and encephalopathy (P<0.05). The risk of death remained strongly linked to older age, comorbidities, severe infection, ICU admission, and extended hospitalization (P<0.05), even after adjustments, indicating they are potential confounders for other variables. More importantly, in non–critically ill patients, there was no significant association between the risk of death and hypoxemia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypomagnesemia, stroke, and encephalopathy (P>0.05). Moreover, the association between encephalopathy and other factors was greatly influenced by disease severity. Nonetheless, older age, comorbidities, and anemia remained significant predictors of stroke even after adjusting for confounders (P<0.05). Conclusions: The high rates of neurological disorders among deceased patients with COVID-19 underscores the need for early prediction and management of these complications. Moreover, neurological disorders were linked to an increased risk of death because they tend to be present in critically ill patients admitted to the ICU with extended hospitalization.