Table 1.
General baseline characteristics of the study population
| General baseline characteristics | N° 55 patients |
|---|---|
| Age (years) | 82.3 ± 7.1 |
| Sex (male) | 56.4% |
| Overweight/obesity (BMI > 25 kg/mq) | 59.6% |
| Active/former smoking | 27.3% |
| CCI | 6 (4–7) |
| GIC classes I–II | 90.9% |
| GIC classes III–IV | 9.1% |
| CFS | 3.6 ± 1.3 |
| ADL 5–6 | 78.2% |
| ADL 3–4 | 20.0% |
| ADL 1–2 | 1.8% |
| Main comorbidities | |
| Arterial hypertension | 78.2% |
| Dyslipidemia | 45.5% |
| Anemia (Hb < 12 g/dl) | 38.2% |
| Type 2 diabetes mellitus | 36.4% |
| Ischemic heart disease | 23.6% |
| Peripheral artery disease | 18.2% |
| History of heart failure | 16.4% |
| Cognitive impairment | 16.4% |
| COPD | 14.5% |
| Atrial fibrillation | 14.5% |
| Previous stroke/TIA | 9.1% |
| Admission laboratory parameters | |
| Hb (g/dl) | 12.7 ± 1.7 |
| WBC (n/microl) | 7290 ± 3332 |
| PLT (n/microl) | 214,000 ± 88,535 |
| Neutrophils (n/microl) | 5548 ± 3073 |
| Lymphocytes (n/microl) | 700 (550–940) |
| eGFR (ml/min/1.73m2) | 69.6 ± 28.0 |
| Ferritin (mcg/l) | 566 (298–1095) |
| CRP (mg/dl) | 9.9 ± 5.5 |
| Hs-troponin T (pg/ml) | 22 (13–34) |
| NT-proBNP (pg/ml) | 772 (395–1884) |
| D-dimer (mcg/l) | 1275 (695–2680) |
| Admission arterial blood gas parameters | |
| pH | 7.47 ± 0.44 |
| pO2 (mmHg) | 65.4 ± 12.2 |
| pCO2 (mmHg) | 34.0 ± 4.6 |
| HCO3- (mmol/l) | 25.3 ± 4.1 |
| sO2 (%) | 94.4 ± 3.7 |
| FIO2 (%) | 21 (21–32) |
| Lactate (mmol/l) | 1.1 (0.8–1.3) |
| P/F (mmHg) | 262 ± 85 |
| Worst P/F (mmHg) during hospitalization | 177 ± 66 |
| Respiratory support needed during hospitalization | |
| Oxygen therapy | 54.5% |
| HFNC/CPAP | 21.8% |
| NIV | 23.6% |
| In-hospital treatment for COVID-19 | |
| Azithromycin | 63.6% |
| Remdesivir | 54.5% |
| Corticosteroids | 100.0% |
| Anticoagulants at prophylactic dose | 52.7% |
| Anticoagulants at therapeutic dose | 45.5% |
CCI Charlson Comorbidity Index, GIC Geriatric Index of Comorbidity, CFS clinical frailty scale, ADL activities of daily living, Hb hemoglobin, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, TIA transient ischemic attack, WBC white blood cells count, PLT platelets count, eGFR estimated glomerular filtration rate, CRP C-reactive protein, NT-proBNP N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, P/F ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2 in mmHg) to fractional inspired oxygen (FiO2 expressed as a fraction, not a percentage), HFNC/CPAP high flow nasal cannula/continuous positive airway pressure, NIV non-invasive ventilation