Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular disease mortality in a major metropolitan area.

Background: The mortality from COVID-19 alone cannot account for the impact of the pandemic. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality has increased disproportionately in specific racial/ethnic populations. Objective: This study aimed to characterize how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the association between CVD mortality and social and demographic factors as characterized by the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). Methods: Medical Examiner Case Archive of Cook County, Illinois was utilized to identify CVD deaths in 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2020 (pandemic). Rate ratios (RRs) were used to compare age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs). Addresses of deaths were geocoded to Chicago Community Areas. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (ρ) test was used to identify the association between SVI and CVD mortality. Results: AAMRs of CVD deaths significantly increased among non-Hispanic Black individuals (AAMRR, 1.1; 95 % CI, 1.1-1.2) and Hispanic individuals (AAMRR, 1.8; 95 % CI, 1.5-2.1) from 2019 to 2020. Among non-Hispanic White individuals, the AAMR did not significantly increase (AAMRR, 1.0; 95 % CI, 0.9-1.1). A significant positive association was observed between SVI and the percentage of non-Hispanic Black residents (ρ = 0.45; P < 0.05), while the inverse was observed with the percentage of non-Hispanic White residents (ρ = -0.77; P < 0.05). A significant positive association between SVI and CVD mortality rate increased (ρ = 0.24 and 0.28; P < 0.05). Conclusions: Significant association between SVI and CVD mortality was strengthened from 2019 to 2020, and CVD mortality increased among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic populations. These findings demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an exacerbation of health inequities among different racial/ethnic populations resulting in increased CVD mortality.

Comparitive Analysis on Neural Networks based on their performance in Pneumonia Detection

Pneumonia has been a concerning issue worldwide. This infectious disease has a higher mortality rate than Covid-19. More than two million individuals lost their lives in 2019 out of which almost 600,000 were infants less than 5 years of age. Globally, identification of the disease is done manually by radiologists, but this method is highly unreliable as its accuracy is not sufficiently good. With the evolution of computational resources, especially the computing power of GPUs, it has become possible to train very deep CNNs. This study involves a comparative analysis of neural networks for pneumonia recognition. The goal is to do binary image classification for pneumonia recognition on each of the three models, namely, a Sequential model using TensorFlow (built from scratch), ResNet50 and InceptionV3 and comparing their efficiency, to discover which model suits best for smaller datasets and which suits best for larger datasets. Dataset consists of 5856 anterior and posterior Chest X-Ray images labeled as either Normal or Pneumonic. © 2023 IEEE.

COVID-19 Could Be More Severe and Fatal in the Octogenarian and Nonagenarian Population in Intensive Care Unit

Objectives: In this study, it was aimed to determine demographic and clinical characteristics, supportive treatments in intensive care unit (ICU), mortality rates and factors affecting mortality by grouping COVID-19 intensive care patients as octogenarian and nonagenarian groups, and patients younger than 80-years-old. Method(s): The patients aged >=18 years diagnosed with COVID-19 with PCR positivity in ICUs between March 19, 2020 and March 31, 2021 were included in this retrospective observational study. Result(s): Of the 1004 PCR positive patients, 58.7% were male. The youngest patient was 20, the oldest patient was 100-years-old. There were 738 patients in Group 1 (20-79 years) and 266 patients in Group 2 (>=80 years). Between the two groups, gender, APACHE II score, need for intubation, need for vasopressor/inotrope, and patients in need of care were higher in Group 2 (p<0.001 for all). Only the patients in Group 1 were established ECMO. Hypertension (HT), cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological diseases, number of comorbidity, and mortality rate were higher significantly in Group 2 (p<0.001, p=0.001, p=0.006, p<0.001, p<0.001, and p<0.001;respectively). Age, male gender, HT, intubation, and vasopressor/inotrope requirement were found to be predictors of mortality. Conclusion(s): COVID-19 may have a more severe and fatal course in the octogenerian and nonagenerian age group with high comorbidity in the ICU.©Copyright 2022 by The Cardiovascular Thoracic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care.

Relationship between AB0 and Rh Blood Groups in COVID-19 Patients and In-Hospital Mortality

According to the Berlin classification10, Group 3 consisted of patients who had PaO2/FiO2 between 200-300 mild ARDS (Acute respiratory distress syndrome) or more than 300 non-ARDS and whose clinical condition is not severe, nasal oxygen support was sufficient. Patients older than 18 years of age, whose blood group information was registered in the hospital database system, and who had positive PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test results were included in the study. Patients whose blood group information was not registered in the hospital database system and PCR test results were negative, and who were younger than 18 years of age were excluded from the study. [...]we did not find a significant difference between AB0 and Rh blood groups and disease severity in patients with mild clinical findings and intensive care patients with moderate-severe clinical findings.

Severe Acute Pancreatitis Associated with Weil's Disease

Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonosis of worldwide importance. Its distribution is closely linked to hydrometric conditions. It is characterized by a wide clinical range, from the subclinical form, or one with few symptoms;which resolves spontaneously, to the multi-visceral form, known as icterrohemorrhagic disease or Weil's disease, with a lethal risk. All organs can be affected but with variable frequency. Pancreatic involvement is not well documented. We describe a 45-year-old man with Weil's disease associated with acute necrotizing pancreatitis. The evolution was favorable but required a three-week stay in the intensive care unit.

A hospital-based study on COVID-19 patients with rhino-orbital mucormycosis

According to a published literature from the end of 2019 to the start of April 2021, India contributed approximately 71% of the global cases of mucormycosis in patients with COVID-19. In addition to this, hyperglycemia in diabetics, steroid therapy, and consequent metabolic acidosis and diabetic keto acidosis along with other risk factors such as prolonged hospitalization with or without mechanical ventilators increase the chance of infection. Aims and Objectives In our study, we suggested the risk factors, clinical features, appropriate investigations, and effective treatment to control the infection of post-COVID-19 rhino-orbital mucormycosis. After taking history of the patients (age, residential area, date of admission, symptoms of illness, comorbidities, ex-diabetes, hypertension or other major illness, treatment history during COVID infection or other regular medications of the patient, and ex-history of steroid intake), we noted the related clinical features of rhino-orbital mucormycosis of the patients.

Effectiveness of Telemedicine in Diabetes Management: A Retrospective Study in an Urban Medically Underserved Population Area (UMUPA)

This paper examines the efficacy of telemedicine (TM) technology compared to traditional face-to-face (F2F) visits as an alternative healthcare delivery service for managing diabetes in populations residing in urban medically underserved areas (UMUPAs). Retrospective electronic patient health records (ePHR) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were examined from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2021. Multiple linear regression models indicated that T2DM patients with uncontrolled diabetes utilizing TM were similar to traditional visits in lowering hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. The healthcare service type significantly predicted HbA1c % values, as the regression coefficient for TM (vs. F2F) showed a significant negative association (B = −0.339, p < 0.001), suggesting that patients using TM were likely to have 0.34 lower HbA1c % values on average when compared with F2F visits. The regression coefficient for female (vs. male) gender showed a positive association (B = 0.190, p < 0.034), with HbA1c % levels showing that female patients had 0.19 higher HbA1c levels than males. Age (B = −0.026, p < 0.001) was a significant predictor of HbA1c % levels, with 0.026 lower HbA1c % levels for each year's increase in age. Black adults (B = 0.888, p < 0.001), on average, were more likely to have 0.888 higher HbA1c % levels when compared with White adults.

COVID-19 and inflammatory bowel disease.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impact the lives of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Extensive investigations over the past 3 years have shown that the vast majority of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and COVID-19 diseases in IBD patients are mild. The disease activity of IBD is usually not influenced, but some patients may experience temporary gastrointestinal symptoms. With the exception of systemic glucocorticoids, commonly used immunomodulatory drugs had no influence on the severity of COVID-19 disease and the overall mortality did not differ from the general population. However, vaccine response is decreased in a substance-dependent manner. In this review, we summarize the most important, practice-relevant studies.Copyright © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.

CHANGES IN LIFE EXPECTANCY IN MOLDOVA DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of deaths in Moldova has considerably increased in absolute and relative numbers, compared with previous years. Earlier trends in mortality decline worsened for both sexes, while life expectancy decreased by 1.0 years in males and 1.7 years in females, respectively. Comparing the age components in the life expectancy change between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, we can notice a slight increase in life expectancy in young-population age groups, mainly resulting from external mortality diminution. On the contrary, a sharp decline in life expectancy is observed in both sexes in the ages above 45. Life expectancy diminution was mainly conditioned by increased deaths from coronavirus disease and health system overload, which in many cases led to postponement in planned chronic disease treatment and emergency medical aid. A significant decrease in the number of deaths caused by COVID-19 was highlighted once a considerable proportion of the population was vaccinated against the coronavirus disease. Even though life expectancy is expected to increase in the following years, acquired chronic diseases or their late diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic can adversely affect the population's health in the medium and long term. The paper describes the life expectancy change in Moldova during the COVID-19 pandemic, for which the method of decomposition was used.Alternate abstract:Comparativ cu anii precedenți, în perioada pandemiei COVID19, numărul deceselor în Moldova a crescut considerabil, în cifre absolute și relative. Aceste schimbări în structura mortalității au întrerupt tendințele de creștere a speranței de viață înregistrate în perioada pre-pandemică. Astfel, către sfârșitul anului 2021, speranța de viață a înregistrat un declin de 1,0 ani la bărbați și 1,7 ani la femei. Comparând componentele de vârstă în schimbarea speranței de viață între perioada pre-pandemică și cea pandemică, putem observa o ușoară creștere a speranței de viață în vârstele tinere ale populației, care rezultă în mare parte din diminuarea mortalității prin cauze externe. Dimpotrivă, la vârstele peste 45 de ani se observă o scădere bruscă a speranței de viață la ambele sexe. Declinul în speranța de viață a fost condiționat de creșterea numărului de decese cauzate de boala coronavirus și gradului de supraîncărcare a sistemului de sănătate, care a dus la amânarea unor tratamente planificate a bolilor cronice și a redus capacitatea asistenței medicale de urgență. O scădere semnificativă a numărului de decese cauzate de COVID-19 a fost evidențiată odată ce o proporție considerabilă a populației a fost vaccinată împotriva bolii coronavirus. Bolile cronice dobândite în perioada pandemică, precum și diagnosticarea lor tardivă pot afecta negativ sănătatea populației pe termen mediu și lung. Acest articol descrie schimbările în speranța de viață din Moldova în perioada pandemiei COVID-19, pentru care a fost utilizată metoda decompoziției.

Prognostic impact of CT severity score in childhood cancer with SARS-CoV-2

BackgroundCT chest severity score (CTSS) is a semi-quantitative measure done to correlate the severity of the pulmonary involvement on the CT with the severity of the disease.The objectives of this study are to describe chest CT criteria and CTSS of the COVID-19 infection in pediatric oncology patients, to find a cut-off value of CTSS that can differentiate mild COVID-19 cases that can be managed at home and moderate to severe cases that need hospital care.A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 64 pediatric oncology patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection between 1 April and 30 November 2020. They were classified clinically into mild, moderate, and severe groups. CT findings were evaluated for lung involvement and CTSS was calculated and range from 0 (clear lung) to 20 (all lung lobes were affected).ResultsOverall, 89% of patients had hematological malignancies and 92% were under active oncology treatment. The main CT findings were ground-glass opacity (70%) and consolidation patches (62.5%). In total, 85% of patients had bilateral lung involvement, ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of CTSS for diagnosing severe type was 0.842 (95% CI 0.737–0.948). The CTSS cut-off of 6.5 had 90.9% sensitivity and 69% specificity, with 41.7% positive predictive value (PPV) and 96.9% negative predictive value (NPV). According to the Kaplan–Meier analysis, mortality risk was higher in patients with CT score > 7 than in those with CTSS < 7.ConclusionPediatric oncology patients, especially those with hematological malignancies, are more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. Chest CT severity score > 6.5 (about 35% lung involvement) can be used as a predictor of the need for hospitalization.

Peripheral Blood Smear Atypical Lymphocytes Association With Covid-19 Mortality

Introduction: COVID-19 disease is currently pandemic, and its prevalence in Saudi Arabia is concerning. The SARS-CoV-2 virus primarily affects the lungs, but it also affects the haematopoietic system. The atypical lymphocytes on peripheral blood film that have a distinct morphological appearance were of particular interest in this study. Our goal was to see a link between atypical lymphocytes and COVID-19 patient mortality. Methods: This four-month single-centered prospective descriptive study was conducted in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. COVID-19 patients of both genders were randomly selected based on inclusion criteria. The data from the patient's electronic medical record was extracted. All patients' peripheral blood film parameters were recorded on days 3, 7, and 14 after admission. The statistical data was analysed using SPSS version 23. The Fisher's exact test was used to determine the relationship with mortality. A p value of 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The total number of cases enrolled in the study was 226. The patients' average age was 58 years (SD 0.5289). On the third day of admission, 88.2 % of patients with COVID-19 had atypical lymphocytes, with a mean of 2.35 ± 0.927. A significant correlation (p < 0.001) exists between atypical lymphocytes decreasing percentage number on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days of admission and death. Conclusion: The decrease in the number of atypical lymphocytes on peripheral blood film has a significant association with the patients' mortality. This fact can be used to develop a tailored management strategy based on the observation of peripheral blood film. © 2022 UPM Press. All rights reserved.

The Predictive Score for Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 in Resource-Limited Settings.

Background and aims The second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been devastating in India and many developing countries. The mortality reported has been 40% higher than in the first wave, overwhelming the nation's health infrastructure. Despite a better understanding of the disease and established treatment protocols including steroids and heparin, the second wave was disastrous. Subsequent waves have the potential to further cripple healthcare deliveries, also affecting non-COVID-19 care across many developing economies. It is then important to identify and triage high-risk patients to best use the limited resources. Routine tests such as neutrophil and monocyte counts have been identified but have not been successfully validated uniformly, and their utility is still being understood in COVID-19. Various predictive models that are available require online resources and calculators and additionally await validation across all populations. These, although useful, might not be available or accessible across all institutions. It is then important to identify easy-to-use scores that utilize tests done routinely. In identifying with this goal, we did a retrospective review of the institutional database to identify potential predictors of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality in patients hospitalized during the second wave who accessed healthcare at our academic setup. Results Three predictors of mortality and four predictors of ICU admission were identified. Absolute neutrophil count was a common predictor of both ICU admission and mortality but with two separate cut points. An absolute neutrophil count of >4,200 predicted need for ICU admission (odds ratio (OR): 3.1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.0, 4.8)), and >7,200 predicted mortality (adjusted OR: 4.2 (95% CI: 1.9, 9.4)). We observed that a blood urea level greater than 45 was predictive of needing ICU care (adjusted OR: 8.0 (95% CI: 3.7, 17.6)). In our dataset, serum ferritin of >500 was predictive of ICU admission (adjusted OR: 2.7 (95% CI: 1.2, 5.9)). We noted a right shift of partial pressure (p50 is the oxygen tension at which hemoglobin is 50% saturated) (p50c) in SARS-CoV-2 as a predictor of ICU care (OR: 2.6 (95% CI: 1.7, 3.9)) when partial pressure is >26.5. In our analysis, a serum protein of less than 7 g/dL (OR: 2.8 (95% CI: 1.7, 4.4)) was a predictive variable for ICU admission. An LDH value of >675 was predictive of severity with a need for ICU admission (OR: 9.2 (95% CI: 5.4, 15.5)) in our series. We then assigned a score to each of the predictive variables based on the adjusted odds ratio. Conclusion We identified a set of easy-to-use predictive variables and scores to recognize the subset of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 with the highest risk of death or clinical worsening requiring ICU care.

You Don't Look Sick: Voices of Music Educators Living With Chronic Illnesses

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of music educators at varying career stages and teaching positions who experience chronic illnesses. Participants (n = 8) represented a variety of chronic illnesses and self-identified career stages. Research questions centered on how participants described navigating their chronic illnesses and how their illnesses impacted or influenced their work. Data included individual and focus group interviews. We found two themes. The first theme connected to realities and misconceptions of illness, including living with ever-present and often invisible symptoms and unpredictable flare-ups, which led to silence and isolation. The second theme described how participants adjusted their work with an emphasis on flexibility, including personal and professional modifications and considerations due to COVID-19. Recommendations are described in terms of professional support, representation, understanding, communication, community, self-advocacy, and broadening the scope of teacher wellness.

Problems of overweight and obesity among students at general secondary educational institutions

Introduction. In many countries around the world, about 63% of deaths are caused by chronic noncommunicable diseases. Obesity is one of the factors in the development of a number of noncommunicable diseases (cardiovascular, diabetes, etc.). It is the most common metabolic disease among people of all ages in all countries. The WHO (the World Health Organization) recognized obesity as a new non-communicable «epidemic» of our time. Despite the fact, that noncommunicable diseases kill adults more frequently, the predisposition to risk factors begins in childhood and its negative consequences accumulate throughout the lifespan. That is why regular monitoring of the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents is relevant and appropriate. Materials and methods. 340 schoolchildren, including 196 boys aged 8-16 and 144 girls aged 8-15 research took part in the research. Analysis of the prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren was carried out using anthropometric data (body weight and height) and the calculation of the body mass index, taking into account the standards of the percentiles. Results and conclusions. The results of the study during 2017-2020 showed that a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity was observed in boys aged 8-12 years and girls aged 8-11 years. The predominance of overweight and obese people among girls or boys cannot be stated unequivocally, because of a disproportion throughout the years. In 2017 and 2020, a higher percentage of overweight people was observed among boys, in 2018-2019 - among girls. The prevalence of obesity in 2017-2018 was higher among girls, in 2019-2020, respectively, among boys. It was also found that the percentage of obese and overweight schoolchildren during the study period was high. In 2020 there was a significant increase of obese and overweight schoolchildren in comparison with previous years.

Sex Disparity in the Effect of Obesity in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study From the New York City Metropolitan Area.

INTRODUCTION:  Obesity has been recognized as a risk factor for poor outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness. We analyzed the impact of patient characteristics including obesity on hospital mortality and specifically analyzed the effect of obesity by body mass index (BMI) class and by sex. METHODS:  This retrospective case series included adult patients consecutively hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 illness between March 12, 2020 and May 13, 2020, at a teaching hospital in the New York City (NYC) metropolitan area. Data were manually extracted from electronic health records by the authors and included demographics, comorbidities, laboratory parameters, and outcomes (hospital mortality or discharge). We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression methods to explore the risk factors associated with in-hospital death. RESULTS:  Some 348 patients were included in this study, of whom 207 were discharged and 141 died in the hospital. Multivariable regression showed increasing odds of in-hospital death with older age and excess weight. Interestingly obesity increased mortality in women [odds ratio (OR) 4.4, confidence interval (CI) (1.4-13.5) p=0.01] but not among men [OR 1.4, CI (0.5-3.6) p=0.5]. Among women, the effect of excess weight on mortality was seen in a "dose-effect" fashion, with increasingly higher odds of mortality from progressively worsening obesity (OR ranging between 2.7 and 6.9). Out of all the comorbidities, only obesity positively correlated with peak levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). CONCLUSION:  Advancing age is a risk factor for in-hospital death during COVID-19 illness. Obese women could be at a higher risk for mortality due to COVID-19 and should take extra precautions to prevent contamination by social distancing and other measures. Immunomodulators may be more effective in obese women affected by COVID-19. Further studies are needed to help elucidate this association.

Clinical Variants, Characteristics, and Outcomes Among COVID-19 Patients: A Case Series Analysis at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.

Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global threat to public health. The current study investigates alterations in the biological estimates concerning the severity, recovery, mortality, and assessment of treatment-based outcomes. Methods A case series of 165 COVID-19 patients admitted to OMI Institute (a tertiary care hospital) was conducted between May and August 2020. The data regarding demographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, radiographic abnormalities, biological estimations, symptoms, treatment, disease progression, complications, and outcomes were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Laboratory estimations included complete blood count (CBC), renal and electrolyte profile, liver function tests (LFTs), hematological indices, and inflammatory markers. Chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), and a high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan were also performed, and data were extracted from the medical records. Analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Results Out of the 165 COVID-19 patients, 79.4% recovered and were successfully discharged, while 20.6% of inpatient died. The patients' mean age was 56.03 ± 15.96 years, with a male majority (55.1%). The most common comorbid conditions were diabetes and hypertension; fever and dry cough were among the most frequently reported symptoms. The chest imaging findings among the severe/critical COVID-19 patients showed extensive bilateral patchy opacities. The median laboratory investigations, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (14.83), C-reactive protein (CRP) (7.4 mg/dl), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (786 IU/L), ferritin (1401.15 mcg/ml), and mean oxygen saturation (88.25%), were significantly altered among cases with increased disease severity and those who expired (p<0.05). The proportion of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and sepsis development was significantly high among severe/critical COVID-19 patients (p<0.05). Treatment with tocilizumab, remdesivir, doxycycline, ivermectin, enoxaparin sodium, and steroids was deemed to be potentially effective treatment options in terms of reducing COVID-19 severity and chances of recovery. Furthermore, age (OR 1.05; p=0.047), presence of comorbidity (OR 8.471; p=0.004), high NLR, LDH (final outcome) (OR 1.361 and 1.018; p<0.05), and CRP levels (midpoint) (OR 1.631; p=0.05) were identified as the strong predictors of death among COVID-19 patients. Conclusion The study identified several alterations in the clinical profile of the COVID-19 patients concerning severity during the hospital stay, affecting prognosis. Clinically, tocilizumab, remdesivir, doxycycline, ivermectin, enoxaparin sodium, and steroids were identified as potential therapeutic options for COVID-19 due to their ability to alter disease-associated severity and recovery rate.

Prognostic Factors in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients at the Start of the Pandemic in Colombia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Introduction Different factors are critical when assessing COVID-19 mortality, and can explain why severity differs so widely among populations. However, there is little information regarding prognostic factors and mortality in COVID-19 from Latin American countries. Objectives To determine prognostic factors in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and to evaluate the impact of tocilizumab use in patients with hyperinflammatory syndrome and severe disease defined by the National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) with a value greater than or equal to seven points. Materials and methods This retrospective cohort study included hospitalized COVID-19 patients from May to July 2020. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent factors associated with mortality. Results A total of 136 patients required hospital admission. In-hospital mortality was 39.7%. Mortality was observed to be potentiated by older age, LDH serum levels and the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lymphopenia and lower PaO2/FiO2 ratio were more common in these patients. Similarly, patients who died were classified more frequently with severe disease. The independent factors associated with in-hospital mortality were age greater than 65 years, type 2 diabetes mellitus, NEWS2 greater than or equal to seven points and LDH greater than 400U/L. The use of Tocilizumab alone was not related with decreased in-hospital mortality. Subgroup analysis performed in patients with hyperinflammation and severe disease showed similar results. Conclusions COVID-19 mortality in hospitalized patients was high and mainly related with older age, comorbidities, LDH and the severity of disease at hospital admission.