Association between mortality risk levels and AIFELL triage scores for suspected COVID-19 patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND: It is crucial to examine and classify patients as soon as possible to save their lives when they display Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms. The Altered sense of smell/taste, Inflammation, Fever, Elevated Lactate dehydrogenase, and Lymphocytopenia (AIFELL) evaluation tool is quick, easy, and simple for medical professionals. OBJECTIVES: Determine the relationship between the COVID-19 patient confirmation and the AIFELL score. Examine any relationships between the AIFELL score and the degree of mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 970 hospitalized (18 years or older) with a COVID-19 diagnosis in 2021. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) as critical cases and moderate cases. The Chi-square test was utilized. RESULTS: The scores of the AIFELL tool ranged from 0 to 6 points; the AIFELL score for COVID-19 symptoms with a high score (4–6) made up 41.5% of the patients. More than half of the patients (58.7%) were men; the oldest age group ranged from 40 to 50 years. A very high risk of dying due to a positive COVID-19 virus exists in more than a fifth of patients (21.5%). The ICU (37.5%) received around a third of the patients. The findings showed significant associations between levels of mortality risk and gender and age. There were significant associations between AIFELL scores and mortality risk levels. AIFELL scores, mortality risk levels, and patient admissions to the critical care unit were strongly associated. CONCLUSION: The AIFELL scores were excellent for predicting COVID-19 mortality risk levels and ICU admission.