Which COVID-19 Patients Die in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Turkey

Objective: The World Health Organization labelled the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020, the first day COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in Turkey. Since then, people's main concerns have been whether their lives or the lives of their relatives would be at risk if they became infected. The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors that increase mortality in COVID-19 patients treated in ICUs and to facilitate the appropriate precautions. Methods: In this study, patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 [positive on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test] and monitored in the Pandemic Hospital at Diyarbakır Dicle University between 15 March 15 and 15 May, 2020, were evaluated for risk factors for mortality. Results: A total of 50 ICU patients were included in the study. Of them, 52% were males, and the mean age was 63.8±17.6 years. A comparison of deceased and surviving patients showed that being female, older than 62, and a smoker and having diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and/or coronary artery disease significantly increased mortality. An investigation of the findings from the patients' lung tomography examinations revealed that relatively prominent pulmonary involvement and localization did not affect mortality. Conclusions: Because patients who are advanced in age, female and smokers and have comorbidities are in the high-risk group, measurements related to treating the COVID-19 disease should be improved. Laboratory parameters are useful for the evaluation of mortality and morbidity, while mechanical ventilation increased mortality.