Can artificial intelligence predict COVID-19 mortality?

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 infection rapidly spread across the globe and evolved into a pandemic. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been used to predict the spread of the virus and diagnose and treat the disease. In this study, we aimed to predict whether patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to COVID-19 infection will result in mortality. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety parameters were used for each 589 ICU patient. The nine parameters with the highest effect on mortality were determined. Four hundred seventy-one patients were used to train the AI with these nine parameters. AI was tested with 118 patient data. RESULTS: AI estimated mortality with 83% sensitivity, 84% specificity, 84% accuracy, and 0.81 F1 score. Therefore, the area under the curve was calculated as 0.91. The results indicate that mortality among COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU can be predicted based on their laboratory parameters on the first day. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the potential benefits of utilizing AI in managing pandemics.

The effect of thrombosis-related laboratory values on mortality in COVID-19 infection.

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 may cause thrombosis in both venous and arterial systems. Familiarity with the signs and symptoms of thrombosis and its treatment is essential in treating COVID-19 infection and its complications. D-Dimer and mean platelet volume (MPV) are measurements related to the development of thrombosis. This study investigates whether MPV and D-Dimer values could be used to determine the risk of thrombosis and mortality in the COVID-19 early stages. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 424 patients who were COVID-19 positive, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, were randomly and retrospectively included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics such as age, gender, and length of hospitalization were obtained from the digital records of participants. Participants were divided into living and deceased groups. The patients' biochemical, hormonal, and hematological parameters were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: White blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, and monocytes were significantly different in the two groups (p-value <0.001), and their values were lower in the living group than in the deceased group. MPV median values did not differ according to prognosis (p-value = 0.994). While the median value was 9.9 in the survivors, it was 10 in the deceased. Creatinine, procalcitonin, ferritin, and the number of hospitalization days in living patients were significantly lower than in patients who died (p-value <0.001). Median values of D-dimer (mg/L) differ according to prognosis (p-value <0.001). While the median value was 0.63 in the survivors, it was found as 438 in the deceased. CONCLUSIONS: Our results did not show any significant relationship between the mortality of COVID-19 patients and their MPV levels. However, a significant association between D-Dimer and mortality in COVID-19 patients was observed.

The significance of a novel inflammatory biomarker, presepsin, in predicting disease prognosis in patients with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims at determining the significance of a novel inflammatory biomarker, presepsin, in predicting disease prognosis in patients with COVID-19. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was concluded at the University Hospital between April and August 2020. The study involved 88 COVID-19 patients (48 men and 40 women). The patients were categorized into two groups: the patients admitted to the COVID-19 clinic, described as the moderate COVID-19 patients (Group-1; n=44), and those admitted to the internal medicine outpatient clinic, who were the mild COVID-19 patients (Group-2; n=44). The groups were compared using inflammatory markers: presepsin, C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio, Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio, and procalcitonin. RESULTS: Serum presepsin levels (195.29 vs. 52.12 pg/ml) were significantly higher in the Group-1 compared to the Group-2 (p=0.001). The gender distribution and average age were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). While ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, D-Dimer, platelet lymphocyte ratio, C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio (p=0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation ratio, C-Reactive Protein and presepsin were significantly higher in the Group-1 compared to Group-2 (p<0.05), while hemoglobin and lymphocyte were significantly lower in the Group-1 than in Group-2 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Serum presepsin levels were found to be significantly higher in moderate clinical group COVID-19 patients compared to mild group. Presepsin, a new inflammatory biomarker, may be useful in predicting the prognosis and early treatment of COVID-19 infection.

Retrospective evaluation of patients at follow-up with acute poisoning in Intensive Care Unit.

OBJECTIVE: Poisonings are among the major causes of emergency visits and intensive care hospitalizations. The aim of our study is to evaluate intoxicated patients at follow-up and treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in terms of demographic characteristics, type of poisonings and results of treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients at follow-up aged 17 or older admitted with intoxication to the ICU between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2011 were included in the study. Age, gender, presenting symptoms, duration of hospitalization, type of poisoning, the way of poisoning, medical history, seasons, hospitalization costs, treatment and prognosis of the patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Totally, 153 (8.9%) out of 1375 follow-up patients in the ICU had acute intoxication. The mean age of intoxicated patients was 29.4 ± 11, 68% of them were female, 78.4% of them were under 35 years old, and intoxication was most common in the 17-25 age group. 114 of them (94.1%) were suicidal. The most common cause of poisoning was drug-poisoning by 88.2%, and most common presenting symptoms were nausea and vomiting by 71.2%. Mean length of stay was 2.4 ± 1.6 days, and the average cost of hospitalization was 761 ± 884 Turkish Liras or 271 ± 315 USD. 5 patients (3.3%) were intubated because of respiratory failure. There was no mortal case. CONCLUSION: Suicide attempts are prominent in acute poisoning, and the young female population is at higher risk. It was found that drugs, particularly antidepressants and antipsychotic agents were the most common cause of poisoning. The high cost of treatment of acute intoxication cases is a major cause of economic burden. Clinicians should be more careful when prescribing such drugs.

Is there a difference in mad honey poisoning between geriatric and non-geriatric patient groups?

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the demographic, toxicological characteristics of the mad honey intoxication at ages 65 and above, to analyze the electrocardiographic parameters, and to compare with the mad honey intoxication at ages below 65 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-two patients, who had been treated and followed-up between June 2013 and November 2014 in the Emergency Service of the Findikli State Hospital, Turkey, due to diagnosis of mad honey intoxication, were included in our observational study. Age, gender, toxicological characteristics, laboratory parameters, heart rates, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, laboratory analyses and electrocardiographic data of the patients were recorded and analyzed. Patients with known coronary artery disease, chronic renal failure, arrhythmias, valvular heart disease, history of thyroid disease and electrolyte imbalance were not included in the study. RESULTS: Eighty-two (80.5% was male and the mean age was 53 ± 15 years) patients followed-up due to mad honey intoxication were included in our study. There were 64 (78%) patients aged below 65 years, and 18 (22%) patients aged 65 and above. The mean heart rate was 45 ± 7 beats/min, systolic blood pressure was 83 ± 12 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure was 52 ± 9 mmHg on admission. The onset of symptoms of the patients was found as 0.84 hours on average after mad honey consumption, the average amount of honey consumed was 3.7 ± 1.1 tablespoons, and the mean recovery time of the symptoms was found to be 1.04 hours. The most common presenting symptoms were nausea-vomiting in 82 (100%) patients and dizziness in 73 (89%) patients. Patients were found to consume mad honey mostly for achieving a remission in gastrointestinal complaints (n=18, 22%), and for utilizing its blood pressure lowering properties (n=11, 13.4%), in addition to the dietary consumption. Looking at the heart rates of the patients on admission to the emergency service, 65 (79.3%) patients had normal sinus rhythm/sinus bradycardia, 12 (14.6%) patients had a 1st degree atrioventricular block, 3 (3.7%) patients had nodal rhythm, 1 (1.2%) patient had atrial fibrillation and 1 (1.2%) patient had preexcitation. There were no significant pathological findings in the routine laboratory examinations of patients. It was found that all patients achieved normal sinus rhythm and normal blood pressure values after medical treatment, and were discharged approximately 5.65 hours after observation and follow-up. In our study, prolonged intensive-care need, pacemaker need and mortality caused by mad honey intoxication were not found. In the comparison of data of all patients above and below 65 years of age, there was a statistically significant finding that the geriatric patients consume mad honey mostly for hypotensive purposes and gastrointestinal complaints; in addition, the symptoms were starting early and the recovery period was longer in geriatric patients. CONCLUSIONS: The mad honey poisoning should be considered in previously healthy patients with unexplained symptoms of bradycardia, hypotension, and atrioventricular block. Therefore, diet history should carefully be obtained from the patients admitted with bradycardia and hypotension. And, in addition to the primary cardiac, neurological and metabolic disorders, mad honey intoxication should also be considered in the differential diagnosis. In geriatric patients admitted due to mad honey intoxication, the mad honey is usually consumed to reduce blood pressure and resolve gastrointestinal problems; and, their symptoms begin early, and last longer after mad honey consumption. In terms of other parameters, the geriatric age group has similar characteristics to non-geriatric age group.

Clinical and laboratory findings in mad honey poisoning: a single center experience.

OBJECTIVE: This study is aimed at analyzing the demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the hematological-biochemical parameters of patients who admitted to the hospital with the diagnosis of mad honey poisoning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 16 patients who were admitted with mad honey intoxication symptoms and treated in Emergency Department of Sakarya Education and Research Hospital between January 2009 and December 2012 were included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients and hematological, biochemical parameters were obtained from hospital records. Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure on admission and at discharge were obtained retrospectively. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (10 males and 6 females, mean age 58.5 ± 10 years, range between 41 and 79) were included in our study. Heart rate was 42 ± 6 beats/min, systolic blood pressure was 73 ± 19 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure was 45 ± 17 mmHg on admission. In the evaluation of the patients' heart rhythms on admission to the emergency room, nine (56.3%) patients had sinus bradycardia, three (18.8%) patients had nodal rhythm, two (12.5%) patients had first degree atrioventricular block, and two (12.5%) patients had atrial fibrillation. Atropine 1.1 ± 0.4 mg and saline 1125 ± 465 ml were used to treat patients. Patients were discharged with a stable condition after an average 27.7 ± 7.2 h of follow-up. Heart rate was 75 ± 8 beats/min, systolic blood pressure was 132 ± 7 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure was 82 ± 6 mmHg at discharge. Mortality was not observed. Hematological and biochemical parameters measured at the time of admission were within normal ranges. CONCLUSION: Mad honey poisoning should be considered in previously healthy patients with unexplained symptoms of bradycardia, hypotension, and cardiac dysrhythmias. Therefore, diet history should carefully be obtained from the patients admitted with bradycardia and hypotension, and mad honey intoxication should also be considered in the differential diagnosis, as well as primary cardiac, neurologic, and metabolic disorders. Mad honey poisoning may be presented with life-threatening symptoms without any hematological and biochemical disorder.