Changes in Physiological Levels of Cortisol and Adrenocorticotropic Hormone upon Hospitalization Can Predict SARS-CoV-2 Mortality: A Cohort Study

Table 2

Comparison of demographic and clinical variables between discharged and expired patients.

Variables	Discharged (n = 140) no. (%)	Dead (n = 14) no. (%)	value
Gender
Male	76 (93.8)	5 (6.2)	0.19
Female	64 (87.7)	9 (12.3)
Age (years)	51.5 (39.3–63.8)	70 (62.8–80.5)	<0.001
Age category
≤50 yrs	68 (100)	0 (0)	<0.001
>50 yrs	72 (83.7)	14 (16.3)
Oxygen therapy
No	18 (100)	0 (0)	0.37
Yes	122 (89.7)	14 (10.3)
SPO2%	92 (89.0–95.0)	84.5 (75.0–91.5)	<0.001
Having underlying disease
No	83 (97.6)	2 (2.4)	0.001
Yes	56 (82.4)	12 (17.6)
ICU administration
No	118 (98.3)	2 (1.7)	<0.001
Yes	21 (63.6)	12 (36.4)
Mechanical ventilator
No	137 (96.5)	5 (3.5)	<0.001
Yes	2 (18.2)	9 (81.8)
Body temperature (°C)	37.0 (36.70–37.50)	37.4 (36.9–37.9)	0.053
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	118.5 (110.0–130.0)	115 (108.8–150.0)	0.77
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	75.0 (70.0–81.5)	77.5 (70.0–80.0)	0.68
Serum cortisol level (μg/dl)	16.7 (12.5–21.7)	11.3 (9.9–14.3)	0.003
Plasma ACTH level (pg/ml)	11.8 (6.0–11.3)	9.1 (5.6–13.1)	0.30
Sodium (mEq/L)	139.0 (136.0–141.0)	137.0 (134.8–140.0)	0.12
Potassium (mEq/L)	4.1 (3.8–4.3)	4.0 (3.5–4.6)	0.98
D-dimer (ng/ml)	177.7 (100.0–379.0)	750.0 (200.0–1653.7)	<0.001
Serum creatinine (mg/dl)	1.0 (0.9–1.2)	1.4 (1.0–1.9)	0.003
Glucose (mg/dl)	115.0 (97.0–145.0)	137.0 (105.3–260.8)	0.09
WBC (per mm^3)	6100 (4800–7500)	6900 (5200–14000)	0.23
Neutrophil%	73.8 (65.3–82.8)	78.7 (73.0–87.9)	0.14
Lymphocyte	22.4 (15.0–29.8)	16.0 (8.0–26.3)	0.10
Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)	3.3 (2.3–5.6)	5.0 (2.8–11.8)	0.09
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm/h)	30.0 (14.0–50.0)	20.0 (10.0–39.0)	0.19
C-reactive protein (qualitative; normal range 0)
Negative	33 (97.1)	1 (2.9)	0.46
1+	21 (91.3)	2 (8.7)
2+	30 (90.9)	3 (9.1)
3+	41 (85.4)	7 (14.6)
4+	12 (92.3)	1 (7.7)
Hospitalized day	4.0 (3.0–6.0)	5.0 (2.0–9.0)	0.50