Abstract BACKGROUND: There is discrepant information across countries regarding the natural history of patients admitted to hospitals with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in addition to a lack of data on the scenario in Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To determine the mortality predictors in COVID-19 patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective analysis of medical records of COVID-19 patients admitted to the Hospital Central da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia of São Paulo. METHODS: Overall, 316 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and July 31, 2020, were included. The analysis included the baseline characteristics, clinical progression, and outcomes. RESULTS: The mortality rate of the sample was 51.27%. Age ≥ 60 years was determined as a risk factor after multivariate logistic regression analysis. Patients with an oxygen (O2) saturation ≤ 94% upon admission accounted for 87% of the deaths (P < 0.001). Vasoactive drugs were used in 92% (P < 0.001) of patients who progressed to death, and mechanical ventilation was employed in 88% (P < 0.001) of such patients. However, patients who received corticosteroids concomitantly with mechanical ventilation had a better prognosis than those who did not. The progressive degree of pulmonary involvement observed on chest computed tomography was correlated with a worse prognosis. The presence of thrombocytopenia has been considered as a risk factor for mortality. CONCLUSION: The main predictors of in-hospital mortality after logistic regression analysis were age, O2 saturation ≤ 94% upon admission, use of vasoactive drugs, and presence of thrombocytopenia.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication prescription in hospitalized elderly patients according to the 2019 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria. METHODS: This study is a prospective analysis of electronic medical records of elderly patients admitted to the Department of Medicine, Hospital Central da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, between 1 September 2020 and 30 April 2021. RESULTS: A total of 142 patients (85 women and 57 men) with a mean age of 74.5±7.3 years (65–99 years) were assessed. Of these, 108 (76.1%) were elderly (age ≥65 years and <80 years) and 34 (23.9%) long-lived (age ≥80 years). The average length of stay found in the sample was 25.3±28.7 days (between 2 and 235 days), and 102 out of the 140 patients assessed remained in the hospital for up to 29 days. Sixteen drugs considered potentially inappropriate medication were found in the patients’ prescriptions, with at least one potentially inappropriate medication having been prescribed to 141 (99.3%) patients. Elderly patients had a mean of 2.57±0.94 potentially inappropriate medication prescribed versus 2.56±0.89 among long-lived patients. The most prescribed potentially inappropriate medication were as follows: regular human insulin as required (85.2%), and omeprazole (73.9%) and metoclopramide as required (61.3%). CONCLUSION: The study sample showed significant percentages of potentially inappropriate medication prescriptions for the elderly admitted to the hospital.

Abstract BACKGROUND: There is discrepant information across countries regarding the natural history of patients admitted to hospitals with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in addition to a lack of data on the scenario in Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To determine the mortality predictors in COVID-19 patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective analysis of medical records of COVID-19 patients admitted to the Hospital Central da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia of São Paulo. METHODS: Overall, 316 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and July 31, 2020, were included. The analysis included the baseline characteristics, clinical progression, and outcomes. RESULTS: The mortality rate of the sample was 51.27%. Age ≥ 60 years was determined as a risk factor after multivariate logistic regression analysis. Patients with an oxygen (O2) saturation ≤ 94% upon admission accounted for 87% of the deaths (P < 0.001). Vasoactive drugs were used in 92% (P < 0.001) of patients who progressed to death, and mechanical ventilation was employed in 88% (P < 0.001) of such patients. However, patients who received corticosteroids concomitantly with mechanical ventilation had a better prognosis than those who did not. The progressive degree of pulmonary involvement observed on chest computed tomography was correlated with a worse prognosis. The presence of thrombocytopenia has been considered as a risk factor for mortality. CONCLUSION: The main predictors of in-hospital mortality after logistic regression analysis were age, O2 saturation ≤ 94% upon admission, use of vasoactive drugs, and presence of thrombocytopenia.