Serum Ferritin as a Predictor of Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients

Serum ferritin levels increase in severe COVID-19 patients. However, few data correlating the sensitivity and specificity of ferritin levels and mortality prediction in COVID-19 exist. The current study aims to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of ferritin for the prediction of mortality r...

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Main Authors: Ferhat Soykan, Demet Bolukbasi, Erol Toy, Nazan Has Selmi, Asiye Yavuz, Behiye Deniz Kosovali, Nevzat Mehmet Mutlu, Aliye Bastug, Derya Gokcinar, Belgin Akan, Seval Izdes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:COVID
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/5/4/60
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author Ferhat Soykan
Demet Bolukbasi
Erol Toy
Nazan Has Selmi
Asiye Yavuz
Behiye Deniz Kosovali
Nevzat Mehmet Mutlu
Aliye Bastug
Derya Gokcinar
Belgin Akan
Seval Izdes
author_facet Ferhat Soykan
Demet Bolukbasi
Erol Toy
Nazan Has Selmi
Asiye Yavuz
Behiye Deniz Kosovali
Nevzat Mehmet Mutlu
Aliye Bastug
Derya Gokcinar
Belgin Akan
Seval Izdes
author_sort Ferhat Soykan
collection DOAJ
description Serum ferritin levels increase in severe COVID-19 patients. However, few data correlating the sensitivity and specificity of ferritin levels and mortality prediction in COVID-19 exist. The current study aims to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of ferritin for the prediction of mortality risks relative to COVID-19. Retrospectively, critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the general intensive care unit (ICU) of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Türkiye, were examined. The median baseline ferritin level in the survivor group was 184.7 µg/L (90.1–430.7), while it was 297.0 µg/L (150.3–851.3) in the deceased group (<i>p</i> = 0.001). The median maximum ferritin in the survivor group was 486.6 µg/L (187.9–1020.0), while it was 1456.7 µg/L (578.5–4388.1) in the deceased group (<i>p</i> < 0.001). In the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the cut-off baseline ferritin value was 201.5 µg/L for the prediction of mortality (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.615, <i>p</i> < 0.001, 95% Confidence interval [CI]: 0.557–0.671). Baseline ferritin levels were associated with increased in-hospital mortality (<i>p</i> < 0.001, odds ratio: 2.347, 95% CI: 1.5–3.7). Baseline ferritin exhibited 66% sensitivity and 54.2% specificity in predicting mortality. The maximum ferritin cut-off value was 878.6 µg/L (AUC = 0.754, <i>p</i> < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.701–0.802), exhibiting 68% sensitivity and 73.2% specificity for mortality prediction. Ferritin has a moderately effective prediction potential for mortality in COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU.
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series COVID
spelling doaj-art-4681d395a7f544c8a79d2ce2274c2b992025-08-20T03:13:57ZengMDPI AGCOVID2673-81122025-04-01546010.3390/covid5040060Serum Ferritin as a Predictor of Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 PatientsFerhat Soykan0Demet Bolukbasi1Erol Toy2Nazan Has Selmi3Asiye Yavuz4Behiye Deniz Kosovali5Nevzat Mehmet Mutlu6Aliye Bastug7Derya Gokcinar8Belgin Akan9Seval Izdes10Department of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Critical Care, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeSerum ferritin levels increase in severe COVID-19 patients. However, few data correlating the sensitivity and specificity of ferritin levels and mortality prediction in COVID-19 exist. The current study aims to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of ferritin for the prediction of mortality risks relative to COVID-19. Retrospectively, critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the general intensive care unit (ICU) of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Türkiye, were examined. The median baseline ferritin level in the survivor group was 184.7 µg/L (90.1–430.7), while it was 297.0 µg/L (150.3–851.3) in the deceased group (<i>p</i> = 0.001). The median maximum ferritin in the survivor group was 486.6 µg/L (187.9–1020.0), while it was 1456.7 µg/L (578.5–4388.1) in the deceased group (<i>p</i> < 0.001). In the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the cut-off baseline ferritin value was 201.5 µg/L for the prediction of mortality (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.615, <i>p</i> < 0.001, 95% Confidence interval [CI]: 0.557–0.671). Baseline ferritin levels were associated with increased in-hospital mortality (<i>p</i> < 0.001, odds ratio: 2.347, 95% CI: 1.5–3.7). Baseline ferritin exhibited 66% sensitivity and 54.2% specificity in predicting mortality. The maximum ferritin cut-off value was 878.6 µg/L (AUC = 0.754, <i>p</i> < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.701–0.802), exhibiting 68% sensitivity and 73.2% specificity for mortality prediction. Ferritin has a moderately effective prediction potential for mortality in COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/5/4/60COVID-19ferritinsintensive care unitsmortalitySARS-CoV-2
spellingShingle Ferhat Soykan
Demet Bolukbasi
Erol Toy
Nazan Has Selmi
Asiye Yavuz
Behiye Deniz Kosovali
Nevzat Mehmet Mutlu
Aliye Bastug
Derya Gokcinar
Belgin Akan
Seval Izdes
Serum Ferritin as a Predictor of Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients
COVID
COVID-19
ferritins
intensive care units
mortality
SARS-CoV-2
title Serum Ferritin as a Predictor of Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients
title_full Serum Ferritin as a Predictor of Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients
title_fullStr Serum Ferritin as a Predictor of Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients
title_full_unstemmed Serum Ferritin as a Predictor of Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients
title_short Serum Ferritin as a Predictor of Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients
title_sort serum ferritin as a predictor of hospital mortality in critically ill covid 19 patients
topic COVID-19
ferritins
intensive care units
mortality
SARS-CoV-2
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/5/4/60
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