Multi-omics and immune cells’ profiling of COVID-19 patients for ICU admission prediction: in silico analysis and an integrated machine learning-based approach in the framework of Predictive, Preventive, and Personalized Medicine

Background Intensive care unit admission (ICUA) triage has been urgent need for solving the shortage of ICU beds, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surge. In silico analysis and integrated machine learning (ML) approach, based on multi-omics and immune cells (ICs) profiling, might provide solutions for this issue in the framework of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM). Methods Multi-omics was used to screen the synchronous differentially expressed protein-coding genes (SDEpcGs), and an integrated ML approach to develop and validate a nomogram for prediction of ICUA. Finally, the independent risk factor (IRF) with ICs profiling of the ICUA was identified. Results Colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) and peptidase inhibitor 16 (PI16) were identified as SDEpcGs, and each fold change (FC ij}) of CSF1R and PI16 was selected to develop and validate a nomogram to predict ICUA. The area under curve (AUC) of the nomogram was 0.872 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.707 to 0.950) on the training set, and 0.822 (95% CI: 0.659 to 0.917) on the testing set. CSF1R was identified as an IRF of ICUA, expressed in and positively correlated with monocytes which had a lower fraction in COVID-19 ICU patients. Conclusion The nomogram and monocytes could provide added value to ICUA prediction and targeted prevention, which are cost-effective platform for personalized medicine of COVID-19 patients. The log 2}fold change (log 2}FC) of the fraction of monocytes could be monitored simply and economically in primary care, and the nomogram offered an accurate prediction for secondary care in the framework of PPPM. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-023-00317-5.