Identification of risk factors for mortality in COVID-19 patients

Since the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was announced in China in January 2020, the disease has increased rapidly, becoming a pandemic, with 39,171,178 infected and 1,100,855 deaths worldwide as of October 2020. In Korea, 25,199 infections and 444 deaths have been reported since the first case in 2020 [1]. As the global pandemic persisted, problems such as limited medical resources, intensive care unit (ICU) equipment, and medical staff shortages gradually intensified. Accordingly, more efficient operation and securing of limited medical resources have become essential. In particular, if medical shortages are realized, it may be difficult to achieve timely hospitalization and adequate intensive care such as mechanical ventilation, especially for severe cases of COVID-19. If treatment is delayed, serious problems such as deteriorating health or unnecessary death may occur in patients with severe disease or for performance of time-sensitive elective operation, such as cancer or transplant surgery.