The role of laboratory and radiological findings of COVİD-19 patients over 65 years of age who apply to the emergency department in predicting the severity and mortality of the disease

COVID-19 is a serious respiratory infection disease caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which originated in Wuhan in 2019 and rapidly evolved into a global pandemic. Particularly, the elderly constitute the highest risk group, making it crucial to understand the course and outcomes of the disease. This study aims to shed light on the relationship between laboratory findings, imaging results, and prognosis and mortality in COVID-19 patients aged 65 and above, with the goal of enhancing the effectiveness of treatment for elderly patients. These findings could serve as a significant step towards providing clinical guidance in managing COVID-19. This thesis study was conducted at the Emergency Department of Süleyman Demirel University (SDU) with the approval of the SDU Faculty of Medicine Clinical Research Ethics Committee. Demographic data such as age, gender, comorbidities, as well as vital signs, laboratory parameters, radiological imaging, and outcomes including mortality status were collected as data from patients included in the retrospective study. Chest CT scans of the patients were examined to determine whether there were findings consistent with COVID-19 pneumonia. An analysis was then conducted to assess the associations between outcomes, mortalities, and demographic and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients aged 65 and above based on all collected data. The data of a total of 229 patients, with an average age of 76.5 years and 129 (56.3%) being male, were analyzed in terms of patient outcomes (survivors or deceased) and place of admission (discharge, ward, or intensive care unit (ICU) requirement). CRP, Procalcitonin, Eosinophil, Eosinophil Percentage, and D-Dimer values were found to be statistically significant in terms of patient outcomes. CRP, Procalcitonin, Eosinophil Percentage, Lymphocyte, Fibrinogen, and D-Dimer values were statistically significant in terms of the place of admission. Among patients in the intensive care unit, CRP value was found to be statistically the most significantly associated. Additionally, CRP and Fibrinogen values were found to be significantly higher statistically in patients with ground-glass opacities on chest CT scans (indicative of COVID-19 pneumonia). The findings of this study emphasize the importance of laboratory and radiological findings in predicting the course of COVID-19 in patients aged 65 and above. The obtained data could serve as a valuable resource in evaluating the prognosis of the disease in clinical practice. Thus, significant results have emerged in terms of providing insight into the prognosis and mortality based on laboratory parameters and imaging results at the time of admission.