Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42213699›Full record

Observational studyPloS one2026

Predicting severe COVID-19 disease in adults: A single-centre cohort study during the first three pandemic waves in 2020-2021 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Ieva Kubiliute, Edgaras Zaboras, Fausta Majauskaite, Jurgita Urboniene, Birute Zablockiene, Giedre Gefenaite, Aukse Mickiene, Ligita Jancoriene

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ieva KubiliuteClinic of Infectious Diseases and Dermatovenerology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4220-6053
Edgaras ZaborasFaculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1199-4645
Fausta MajauskaiteClinic of Infectious Diseases and Dermatovenerology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Jurgita UrbonieneCentre of Infectious Diseases, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Birute ZablockieneClinic of Infectious Diseases and Dermatovenerology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Giedre GefenaiteDepartment of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9952-9446
Aukse MickieneDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
Ligita JancorieneClinic of Infectious Diseases and Dermatovenerology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6488-6312

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSince its emergence, the COVID-19 infection has led to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early identification of patients at risk for severe disease is essential for more effective triage, timely therapeutic intervention, and optimal resource allocation. Differences in population characteristics may contribute to variability in disease outcomes, which emphasizes the need for regional-level data, especially from underrepresented regions. The main aim of this study was to identify the demographic, clinical, and laboratory predictors of severe COVID-19, defined as the need for oxygen therapy, in Lithuania. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe conducted an ambispective observational cohort study at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos in Vilnius, Lithuania, from March 2020 to December 2021. Adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and hospitalized longer than 24 hours were included in this study. Data were collected from the electronic medical records and patient interviews. To identify predictors of severe COVID-19 course, a multivariable binary logistic regression model was performed.

resultsAmong 495 patients, 52.9% were male, the median age was 55 years, and 61.2% had at least one underlying condition. The most common symptoms on admission were malaise (77.1%), subfebrile fever (65.9%), and cough (69.7%). CRP demonstrated the highest predictive value for severe COVID-19 (AUC = 0.84), followed by LDH (AUC = 0.80). Older age (OR 1.04 per year, 95% CI 1.00-1.08), obesity (OR 3.55, 95% CI 1.35-9.30), lymphopenia (OR 3.70, 95% CI 1.37-9.99), higher LDH (OR 1.008, 95% CI 1.00-1.01) and CRP (OR 1.021, 95% CI 1.01-1.04) levels were identified as the strongest predictors for severe COVID-19 disease course.

conclusionOlder age, obesity, lymphopenia, and higher CRP and LDH were associated with developing severe COVID-19 disease, indicating that combining patient history and laboratory parameters can provide a practical risk stratification approach to help clinicians identify high-risk patients early upon hospitalisation.

Indexed as

COVID-19AdultAgedCohort StudiesFemaleHospitalizationHumansLithuaniaMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsRisk FactorsSARS-CoV-2Severity of Illness Index

Identifiers

PMID42213699
PMCPMC13221065

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.