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Factors associated with coronavirus disease 2019 infection severity among a sample of Lebanese adults: Data from a
Elissar El-Hayek1, Georges-Junior Kahwagi1,2, Nour Issy1
1Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Holy Spirit University of Kaslik-Jounieh Jounieh Lebanon.
Insights
Older age, dyslipidemia, and respiratory diseases increase the risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Female gender was associated with lower odds of severe COVID-19 in Lebanese adults.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Severe illness from COVID-19 requires identification of risk factors for early patient management, especially in resource-limited settings.
- No prior studies in Lebanon have investigated factors associated with COVID-19 severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between sociodemographic variables, health status, and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in Lebanese adults.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 1052 adult patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between January and March 2021 in Byblos, Lebanon.
- Data collected included demographics, medical history, clinical data, and self-reported symptoms. Severity was classified using WHO guidelines.
- Multivariate and bivariate regression analyses were performed to identify associated factors.
Main Results:
- Older age was significantly associated with increased odds of moderate and severe COVID-19.
- Dyslipidemia and respiratory diseases were linked to higher odds of moderate and severe COVID-19, respectively.
- Higher body mass index was associated with severe COVID-19, while female gender showed lower odds of severe disease compared to males.
Conclusions:
- Older age, higher BMI, dyslipidemia, and respiratory diseases are significant risk factors for severe COVID-19 in the Lebanese population.
- Findings provide valuable clinical insights for early prognosis and management of COVID-19 patients.
- This study highlights the importance of identifying specific risk factors for targeted public health interventions.
Background And Aims:
Identification of factors responsible for severe illness related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could help in the early management of patients with high risk, especially in developing countries with poor medical care systems. To date, no data have been published concerning the factors associated with COVID-19 severity in Lebanon. In this study, we aimed at investigating the relation between sociodemographic variables, health status, and the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in a sample of Lebanese adults.
Methods:
In our cross-sectional study, 1052 patients (563 male and 489 female, with the median age of 42.83 ± 17.88 years), tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) between January and March 2021, were recruited from a hospital in Byblos, Lebanon. Basic demographic data, medical history, clinical data, and selfreported symptoms related to COVID-19 were collected. Clinical classification of COVID-19 severity was carried out according to the WHO interim guidance on May 27, 2020. Multi and bivariate regression analysis were performed.
Results:
When comparing patients with moderate symptoms versus mild, the results showed that older age (aOR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.03-1.06) and having dyslipidemia (aOR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.01-3.49) were significantly associated with higher odds of having moderate symptoms. When comparing patients with severe symptoms versus mild, older age (aOR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.06-1.10), higher body mass index (aOR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04-1.15) and having respiratory diseases (aOR = 2.57; 95% CI: 1.03-6.36) were significantly associated with higher odds of having severe symptoms, whereas female gender (aOR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.32-0.98) was significantly associated with lower odds of having severe symptoms compared to males. Finally, when comparing patients with severe symptoms versus moderate, older age (aOR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01-1.05) was found to be significantly associated with higher odds of having severe symptoms.
Conclusion:
Identification of risk factors may contribute to a better understanding of the COVID-19 pathogenesis and provide clinical reference for early prognosis and management of patients.
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