[Factors associated with intrahospital mortality in older patients with COVID-19 in Belgium : The COVID-AgeBru study].

Objective: We aimed at assessing the association between demographical and clinical data and the intrahospital mortality in older patients with COVID-19 in Belgium.

Methods: Descriptive, retrospective study of consecutive patients admitted to Brugmann university hospital, Brussels (Belgium) due to COVID-19 (Mars-September-2020).

Inclusion Criteria: Patients aged ≥ 70 years admitted to acute care with a positive PCR-RT test, or a highly indicative computed tomography scan.

Exclusion Criteria: Patients transferred to another institution during hospitalization.

Outcome Measure: All-cause intrahospital mortality. Demographic, clinical data, presence of comordibidties and comprehensive geriatric assessment were collected. Adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression were performed.

Results: From the 226 eligible patients, 160 (82.7 ± 6.5-year-old; 57.5 % females) met inclusion criteria, from which 67 (42 %) died during hospital stay. The adjusted logistic regression showed an association between intrahospital mortality and increasing age [OR = 1.09 per every year increase (95 % CI 1.02-1.16); p <0.001], type 2 diabetes [OR = 2.75 ( 1.17-6.46); p = 0.021], and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) [OR = 8.67 ( 3.48-21.61); p < 0.01].

Conclusions: A higher positive association between intrahospital mortality and increasing age, type 2 diabetes, and ARDS was found. The prognosis value of the comprehensive geriatric assessment in older people with COVID-19 in Belgium requires further studies.