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Published on: April 3, 2017
Clinical Characteristics and Predictors of Mortality in Obese African-Americans with COVID-19: a Single-Center
Pavani Reddy Garlapati1, Suneet Kumar1, Meet Patel1
1Department of Medicine, Interfaith Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Insights
Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) significantly increases COVID-19 morbidity and mortality risk in African Americans. Advanced age, high sodium, and elevated AST levels predict mortality in obese COVID-19 patients.
Area of Science:
- Medical Research
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Obesity is a known risk factor for COVID-19 infection.
- This study investigates obesity's impact on COVID-19 outcomes specifically within the African American population.
- Understanding predictors of mortality in this demographic is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) and COVID-19 infection.
- To identify clinical predictors of mortality among obese African American patients with COVID-19.
- To contribute evidence on obesity as a risk factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 469 African American patients with confirmed COVID-19.
- Patients categorized into non-obese (BMI < 30 kg/m²) and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) groups.
- Multivariate regression analysis used to assess clinical predictors of mortality.
Main Results:
- Obese patients (43.7%) exhibited higher rates of cough, fever/chills, and shortness of breath.
- In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the obese group (41.5% vs. 25.4%).
- Obese patients had greater mechanical ventilation rates (34.6% vs. 22.7%).
- Advanced age, elevated sodium, and AST levels predicted mortality in obese patients.
Conclusions:
- Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) is a significant risk factor for COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.
- These findings underscore the need for careful management of obese individuals during the pandemic.
- Further research into specific interventions for high-risk obese populations is warranted.
Background:
This study aims to add to the body of evidence linking obesity as an established risk factor for COVID-19 infection and also look at predictors of mortality for COVID-19 in the African-Americans (AA) population.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study of patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection was done in a community hospital in New York City. The cohort was divided into two groups, with the non-obese group having a BMI < 30 kg/m2 and the obese group with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Clinical predictors of mortality were assessed using multivariate regression analysis.
Results:
Among the 469 (AA) patients included in the study, 56.3% (n = 264) had a BMI < 30 kg/m2 and 43.7% (n = 205) had a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Most common comorbidities were hypertension (n = 304, 64.8%), diabetes (n = 200, 42.6%), and dyslipidemia (n = 74, 15.8%). Cough, fever/chills, and shortness of breath had a higher percentage of occurring in the obese group (67.8 vs. 55.7%, p = 0.008; 58.0 vs. 46.2%, p = 0.011; 72.2 vs. 59.8%, p = 0.005, respectively). In-hospital mortality (41.5 vs. 25.4%, p < 0.001) and mechanical ventilation rates (34.6 vs. 22.7%, p = 0.004) were also greater for the obese group. Advanced age (p = 0.034), elevated sodium levels (p = 0.04), and elevated levels of AST (0.012) were associated with an increase in likelihood of in-hospital mortality in obese group.
Conclusions:
Our results show that having a BMI that is ≥ 30 kg/m2 is a significant risk factor in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. These results highlight the need for caution when managing obese individuals.
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