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Effect of Comorbidities on the Infection Rate and Severity of COVID-19: Nationwide Cohort Study With Propensity Score

Jiyong Kim1, Seong Hun Park2, Jong Moon Kim3,4

  • 1Department of Rehabilitation, Inje University Ilsanpaik Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea.

JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
|October 20, 2022
PubMed

Insights

COVID-19 infection and severity were lower in individuals with hyperlipidemia, especially those using statins. This finding highlights the potential protective role of managing hyperlipidemia in the context of COVID-19.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Despite vaccine development, COVID-19 transmission persists, with ongoing research into comorbidity impacts yielding contradictory results.
  • Understanding demographic and comorbidity influences on COVID-19 infection and severity is crucial for public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of patient demographics and comorbidities on COVID-19 infection rates and severity.
  • To analyze real-world data from South Korea to identify risk and protective factors for COVID-19.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a nationwide South Korean COVID-19 cohort study with propensity score (PS) matching.
  • Included 8070 COVID-19 positive individuals and 8070 matched uninfected controls (January-May 2020).
  • Analyzed outcomes including infection positivity and severe clinical events, adjusting for confounders via PS matching.

Main Results:

  • Individuals aged 60+, Medicaid recipients, and those with disabilities showed higher severe COVID-19 outcomes.
  • Pulmonary disease, dementia, gastrointestinal disease, and stroke increased COVID-19 infection risk.
  • Hyperlipidemia, autoimmune disease, and cancer were associated with lower infection rates.
  • Kidney disease, hypertension, dementia, and cancer significantly increased COVID-19 severity.
  • Hyperlipidemia was associated with lower COVID-19 infection rates and severity.

Conclusions:

  • Hyperlipidemia may be associated with reduced COVID-19 infection rates and disease severity, particularly when managed with statins.
  • These findings underscore the importance of managing comorbidities like hyperlipidemia in mitigating COVID-19's impact.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19comorbidityhyperlipidemiainfection rateseverity of illness index

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