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In general, COVID-19 statistics point to markedly low mortality among patients younger than 60; however, 40% of the U.S. population is obese. Is the protective effect of youth negatively affected by obesity? Researchers used the American Heart Association's COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry to examine the effect of obesity across different age groups on mortality, receipt of mechanical ventilation, or both. The baseline reference group was specified as ideal body weight defined by the World Health Organization (body-mass index [BMI] 18.5–24.9 kg/m2).
Among 7606 patients, in-hospital death occurred in 1302 (17.1%) and mechanical ventilation in 1602 (21.1%). Likelihood of either event increased with BMI across class I (BMI 30.0–34.9; adjusted odds ratio, 1.3), class II (BMI 35.0–39.9; aOR, 1.6), and class III (BMI ≥40.0; aOR, 1.8) obesity. The strongest association between BMI and death or mechanical ventilation was seen in participants 50 or younger. Stage III obesity was associated with excess risk for in-hospital death in those 50 or younger (hazard ratio, 1.4), but not in those older than 50. Crude mortality rates were 3.3% (Class I), 5.0% (Class II), and 8.3% (Class III) in patients aged ≤50.
Hendren NS et al. Association of body mass index and age with morbidity and mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: Results from the American Heart Association COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry. Circulation 2020 Nov 17; [e-pub]. (https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.051936)
Comment
This study confirms that obesity confers excess risk for hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, and death from COVID-19 — and shows, for the first time, that the adverse effects of obesity on COVID-19 outcomes may be limited to people under 50 (rather than compounding such risks in older persons). The reasons are likely multifactorial, including comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, delays in seeking care, and even the possibility of adipocytes serving as viral reservoirs. These findings should serve not only as a wake-up call to younger obese patients, but also as a guidepost for vaccine allocation to high-risk groups.