According to a new study it has been found that Covid-19 patients who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop a more severe infection than patients with healthy weight, and they require oxygen and invasive mechanical ventilation more often than others.
The study findings have been published in the journal ‘Diabetes Care’.
It has been published in the study that there is no increased risk of death though the obese people are at a higher risk of developing a more serious infection. The study included around 7000 patients who were analyzed who appear from the international research in eleven countries, including the Netherlands (Radboud university medical centre).
The study led by Australian researchers, examined over 7000 patients from eleven different countries who were admitted to 18 hospitals. Out of this it was reported that a group over a third (34.8%) were overweight and almost a third (30.8%) were obese.
It is also found that Covid-19 patients with obesity required more oxygen more frequently and were 73% more likely to require invasive mechanical ventilation.
However, remarkably, no greater mortality was observed in these groups of patients than in patients of healthy weight.
Immunologist Siroon Bekkering of Radboud university medical centre, principal investigator of the Dutch part, enlightened that never before so many different data on obesity have been combined in one large study.
Bekkering said, “Several national and international observations already showed the important role of overweight and obesity in a more severe Covid-19 course. This study adds to those observations by combining data from several countries with the possibility to look at the risk factors separately. Regardless of other risk factors (such as heart disease or diabetes), we now see that too high a BMI can actually lead to a more severe course in corona infection.”
Overweight and obesity are characterized by chronic inflammation according to one explanation, which perhaps lead to increased susceptibility to viruses. However, it is the same case with the flu virus, though obese people are more likely to suffer from shortness of breath which may lead to an increased need for ventilation.
Different risk factors for severe Covid-19 infection
In addition, this study also shows that people older than 65 years of age needed supplemental oxygen more frequently and are at greater risk of death than others. Hence, more risk factors are emerging from this study.
For example, similar studies with this study confirms that men are more likely to have a more severe course of Covid-19 infection. However, cardiovascular disease and pre-existing respiratory disease can be associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death, but not with an increased risk of using oxygen and mechanical ventilation.
There was an increased risk of needing invasive respiratory support for patients with diabetes, but no additional increase in risk in those with both obesity and diabetes. There was no increased risk of death.