Obesity and COVID-19 in Adult Patients With Diabetes

Peihua Cao1,2, Ying Song3,4, Zian Zhuang5

  • 1Clinical Research Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

Diabetes
|February 18, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Obesity increases the risk of severe outcomes in COVID-19 patients, including severe pneumonia and need for oxygen therapy. This risk is higher for men, older adults, and individuals with diabetes.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Science
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Obesity is a prevalent comorbidity associated with severe COVID-19.
  • Diabetes and obesity may exacerbate COVID-19 severity through immune dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between obesity and severe outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
  • To assess the impact of obesity on severe pneumonia and oxygen therapy requirements.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective study of 1,637 adult COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China.
  • Propensity score-matched logistic regression analysis.
  • Adjusted for age, sex, and comorbidities.

Main Results:

  • Obesity was significantly associated with higher odds of severe pneumonia (OR 1.47) and oxygen therapy (OR 1.40).
  • Increased risks were more pronounced in men, older adults, and patients with diabetes.
  • A dose-response relationship between BMI and severe outcomes was observed.

Conclusions:

  • Obesity is an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes.
  • Findings highlight the importance of managing obesity in COVID-19 patients.
  • Specific risk patterns were noted for patients with diabetes.

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