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BMI is Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 Intensive Care Unit Admission in African Americans

Ala L Alkhatib1, Jonah Kreniske2, Jerry S Zifodya1

  • 1Department of Medicine, Section of Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care and Environmental Medicine, Health Science Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
|August 5, 2020
PubMed

Insights

African Americans with COVID-19 face higher risks for severe disease. Key risk factors identified include advanced age, higher body mass index (BMI), and pre-existing lung conditions, necessitating targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Research
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected African American communities.
  • Understanding specific risk factors within this demographic is crucial for equitable healthcare responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify risk factors associated with severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in African American patients.
  • To inform targeted clinical care strategies for this population.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted.
  • Data from 158 African American COVID-19 patients treated at a single tertiary center were analyzed.
  • Severe disease was defined as requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

Main Results:

  • Older age (mean 62 vs. 55 years) and higher body mass index (BMI) (mean 36.5 vs. 31.9 kg/m² ) were significantly associated with ICU admission.
  • Adjusted analysis revealed age (aOR: 1.073), BMI (aOR: 1.115), and lung disease (aOR: 3.097) as key predictors of severe COVID-19.
  • The study included 158 patients, with 61% being women and a mean age of 57 years.

Conclusions:

  • Age, BMI, and lung disease are significant risk factors for severe COVID-19 in African Americans.
  • Further research is essential to optimize clinical care and ensure health equity for this population.
  • Targeted interventions are critical for an equitable COVID-19 response.
Abstract

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