Validation of PSI/PORT, CURB-65 and SCAP scoring system in COVID-19 pneumonia for prediction of disease severity and 14-day mortality

Background: The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has put a serious burden on the healthcare system worldwide. Due to varied manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection, many scoring systems, which were earlier used for community acquired pneumonia (CAP) are in use to determine the disease severity and the need of ICU admissions for proper management. COVID-19 is a relatively new disease and the validity of these scoring systems in SARS-CoV-2 infection is not completely known. This study aimed to validate these scoring systems in cases of COVID-19 pneumonia in an Indian setup. The study has also tried to find the most accurate indicator of disease severity and 14-day mortality among these scoring systems. Materials and Methods: This study included 122 SARS-CoV-2 infected patients at a tertiary hospital in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The severity of the disease according to ICMR protocol for COVID-19, the PSI/PORT score, the CURB-65 score and the SCAP score were calculated in all the patients and analysed with the disease outcome, that is, 14-day mortality. Results: SCAP score, PSI/PORT score and CURB-65 criteria, all were good indicators of disease severity and 14-day mortality. However, when compared to other scoring systems, SCAP score was a more accurate marker of disease severity and 14-day mortality. Conclusion: The PSI/PORT scoring system, the CURB-65 criteria and the SCAP scoring system can be used to assess the COVID-19 severity and predict the 14-day mortality risk in cases of COVID-19 pneumonia.