Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39885429›Full record

Observational studyBMC geriatrics2025

Charlson comorbidity index has no incremental value for mortality risk prediction in nursing home residents with COVID-19 disease.

Anum Zahra, Maarten van Smeden, Petra J M Elders, Jan Festen, Jacobijn Gussekloo, Karlijn J Joling, Anouk van Loon, Kim Luijken, René J F Melis, Simon P Mooijaart and 5 more

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC geriatrics, 2025. 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
–field-weighted citation impact
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

15 authors.

Anum ZahraJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.zahra@umcutrecht.nl.
Maarten van SmedenJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Petra J M EldersDepartment of General Practice & Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jan FestenKBO-PCOB, Etten-Leur, The Netherlands.
Jacobijn GusseklooDepartment of Internal Medicine, Section of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Karlijn J JolingDepartment of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Anouk van LoonDepartment of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Kim LuijkenJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
René J F MelisAging & Later Life, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Simon P MooijaartDepartment of Internal Medicine, Section of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Karel G M MoonsJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Geeske PeetersDepartment of Geriatric Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Harmke A Polinder-BosDivision of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Fenne WoutersDepartment of Medicine for Older People, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Anne de HondJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Funding

Leren van Data, Netherlands 329517ZonMw 10430102110005
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing home (NH) residents faced the highest risk of severe COVID-19 disease and mortality. Due to their frailty status, comorbidity burden can serve as a useful predictive indicator of vulnerability in this frail population. However, the prognostic value of these cumulative comorbidity scores like the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) remained unclear in this population. We evaluated the incremental predictive value of the CCI for predicting 28-day mortality in NH residents with COVID-19, compared to prediction using age and sex only.

methodsWe included older individuals of ≥ 70 years of age in a large retrospective observational cohort across NHs in the Netherlands. Individuals with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis from 1 March 2020 to 31 December 2021 were included. The CCI score was computed by searching for the comorbidities recorded in the electronic patient records. All-cause mortality within 28 days was predicted using logistic regression based on age and sex only (base model) and by adding the CCI to the base model (CCI model). The predictive performance of the base model and the CCI model were compared visually by the distribution of predicted risks and area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC), scaled Brier score, and calibration slope.

resultsA total of 4318 older NH residents were included in this study with a median age of 88 years [IQR: 83-93] and a median CCI score of 6 [IQR: 5-7]. 1357 (31%) residents died within 28 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. The base model, with age and sex as predictors, had an AUROC of 0.61 (CI: 0.60 to 0.63), a scaled brier score of 0.03 (CI: 0.02 to 0.04), and a calibration slope of 0.97 (CI: 0.83 to 1.13). The addition of CCI did not improve these predictive performance measures.

conclusionThe addition of the CCI as a vulnerability indicator did not improve short-term mortality prediction in NH residents. Similar (high) age and number of comorbidities in the NH population could reduce the effectiveness of these predictors, emphasizing the need for other population-specific predictors that can be utilized in the frail NH residents.

Indexed as

COVID-19Nursing HomesAgedAged, 80 and overComorbidityFemaleHumansMaleNetherlandsPrognosisRetrospective StudiesRisk AssessmentCharlson comorbidity indexCOVID‐19FrailtyNursing home populationOlder peoplePrognosis researchVulnerability

Identifiers

PMID39885429
PMCPMC11780814

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 OpenQuestion graph.