حکمت اله خوب فکر - Center of Health Vice-Chancellor of Iranshahr, University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Iranshahr, Iran
مطهره عبداللهی - Iranshahr Health Services, Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences, Iranshahr, Iran
حامد امیری - Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Iranshahr, Iran
صادق امیری - Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Iranshahr, Iran
صالح بابازاده - Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine,Stamford, New Orleans, LA, USA
وحید رحمانیان - Department of Public Health, Torbat Jam Faculty of Medical Sciences, Torbat Jam, Iran
محمد جوکار - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran

Background & Objectives: The COVID-۱۹ pandemic has had a devastating global impact, with millions of cases and varying severity of illness. Southeastern Iran has been particularly hard hit, with a high number of patients requiring hospitalization. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with mortality from COVID-۱۹ among hospitalized patients in this region. Materials & Methods: A case-control study compared hospitalized COVID-۱۹ patients who succumbed to the disease (confirmed by death certificates and positive PCR tests) with those who recovered, from February ۲۷, ۲۰۲۰, to June ۳۰, ۲۰۲۱. Researchers analyzed data using t-tests and chi-square tests to identify significant factors associated with mortality (p < ۰.۰۵). Variables significant at a less stringent level (p < ۰.۲) were then included in a backward logistic regression model to explore independent predictors of mortality. Results: This retrospective study examined data from ۴۷۳ patients, of whom ۱۵۸ were in the case group and ۳۱۵ were in the control group. Among the case group, ۸۰.۴% were elderly, compared to ۴۱% in the control group. A significantly higher proportion of patients in the case group (۱۲.۷%) experienced critical symptoms leading to ICU hospitalization, compared to the control group (۷.۳%). Multivariable regression analysis identified several factors significantly associated with increased mortality risk. These included ICU hospitalization (OR=۵.۲۷, CI: ۳.۰۹-۸.۹۸), advanced age (OR=۴.۰۶, CI: ۲.۴۳-۶.۸۰), hypertension (OR=۴.۴۴, CI: ۱.۵۲-۱۲.۹۳), cardiovascular diseases (OR=۲.۵۶, CI: ۱.۱-۵.۹۸), and critical symptoms (OR=۲.۷۴, CI: ۱.۹۲-۸.۰۴).  Diabetes, pregnancy, nationality, and gender did not statistically increase mortality risk (p-value ≥ ۰.۰۵). Conclusion: Advanced age, severe symptoms requiring ICU care, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases are all critical mortality risk factors in hospitalized COVID-۱۹ patients.

COVID-۱۹, Mortality, Hospitalized patients, Risk factors, Iran