Background: The rapid increase in the spread of
COVID-۱۹ and the numbers of infected patientsworldwide has highlighted the need for intensive care unit (ICU) beds and more advanced therapy. Thisneed is more urgent in resource-constrained settings. The present study aimed to identify the predictorsof ICU admission among hospitalized
COVID-۱۹ patients.Study design: The current study was conducted based on a retrospective cohort design.Methods: The participants included ۶۶۵ definite cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus۲ (SARS-CoV-۲) hospitalized in Imam Hossein Hospital from February ۲۰ to May ۱۴, ۲۰۲۰. The baselinecharacteristics of patients were assessed, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was utilized todetermine the significant odds ratio (OR) for ICU admission.Results: Participants were aged ۵۹.۵۲±۱۶.۷۲ years, and the majority (۵۵.۶%) of them were male.Compared to non-ICU patients (n=۵۴۷), the ICU patients (n=۱۱۸) were older, had more baselinecomorbidities, and presented more often with dyspnea, convulsion, loss of consciousness, tachycardia,tachypnea, and hypoxia, and less often with myalgia. Significant OR (۹۵% CI) of ICU admission wasobserved for the ۶۰-۸۰ age group (۲.۴۲, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۰۱; ۵.۷۹), ≥۸۰ age group (۳.۷۳, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۴۴; ۹.۴۲),≥۳ comorbidities (۲.۰۷, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۳۱; ۳.۸۰), loss of consciousness (۶.۷۰, ۹۵%CI: ۲.۹۴, ۱۵.۲۴), tachypnea(۱.۷۹, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۰۳, ۳.۱۱), and SpO۲<۹۰ (۵.۸۳, ۹۵%CI: ۲.۷۴; ۱۲.۴). Abnormal laboratory results weremore common among ICU-admitted patients; in this regard, leukocytosis (۴.۴۵, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۴۹, ۱۳.۳۱),lymphopenia (۲.۳۹, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۳۰; ۴.۳۹), elevated creatine phosphokinase (CPK) (۱.۹۹, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۰۴;۳.۸۳), and increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (۲.۲۵, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۱۸-۴.۳۰) had a significant ORof ICU admission. Chest computer tomography (CT) revealed that consolidation (۱.۸۲, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۰۲,۳.۲۴), pleural effusion (۳.۱۹, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۷۱, ۵.۹۵), and crazy paving pattern (۸.۳۶, ۹۵%CI: ۱.۹۲, ۳۶.۴۸)had a significant OR of ICU admission.Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, the predictors of ICU admission were identifiedamong epidemiological characteristics, presenting symptoms and signs, laboratory tests, and chest CTfindings.