Effect of obesity and body mass index on coronavirus disease 2019 severity: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Journal
Obesity Reviews
Journal Volume
21
Journal Issue
11
Pages
e13089
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
Abstract
SummaryWe conducted a systematic review of observational studies to examine the effects of body mass index (BMI) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched. Sixteen articles were finally included in the meta‐analysis, and a random effects model was used. BMI was found to be higher in patients with severe disease than in those with mild or moderate disease (MD 1.6, 95% CI, 0.8–2.4; p = .0002) in China; however, the heterogeneity was high (I2 = 75%). Elevated BMI was associated with invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) use (MD 4.1, 95% CI, 2.1–6.1; p < .0001) in Western countries, and this result was consistent across studies (I2 = 0%). Additionally, there were increased odds ratios of IMV use (OR 2.0, 95% CI, 1.4–2.9; p < .0001) and hospitalization (OR 1.4, 95% CI, 1.3–1.60; p < .00001) in patients with obesity. There was no substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 0%). In conclusion, obesity or high BMI increased the risk of hospitalization, severe disease and invasive mechanical ventilation in COVID‐19. Physicians must be alert to these early indicators to identify critical patients.
SDGs
Other Subjects
Article; body mass; China; clinical assessment; clinical evaluation; coronavirus disease 2019; disease association; disease severity; emergency ward; hospitalization; human; infection risk; invasive ventilation; meta analysis; obesity; outcome assessment; risk assessment; risk factor; systematic review; Betacoronavirus; complication; Coronavirus infection; obesity; pandemic; pathophysiology; severity of illness index; virus pneumonia; Betacoronavirus; Body Mass Index; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Obesity; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Severity of Illness Index
Publisher
Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Type
journal article