The association of metabolic syndrome and COVID-19 deterioration

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2021.08.036Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Pre-existing obesity and certain cardiovascular risk factors are predictive of poor health outcomes in persons with COVID-19.

  • Metabolic syndrome is an independent risk factor for COVID-19 deterioration.

Abstract

Background and aims

To evaluate the prevalence and prognostic value of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients admitted for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods and results

In this monocentric cohort retrospective study, we consecutively included all adult patients admitted to COVID-19 units between April 9 and May 29, 2020 and between February 1 and March 26, 2021. MetS was defined when at least three of the following components were met: android obesity, high HbA1c, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL cholesterol. COVID-19 deterioration was defined as the need for nasal oxygen flow ≥6 L/min within 28 days after admission.

We included 155 patients (55.5% men, mean age 61.7 years old, mean body mass index 29.8 kg/m2). Fifty-six patients (36.1%) had COVID-19 deterioration. MetS was present in 126 patients (81.3%) and was associated with COVID-19 deterioration (no-MetS vs MetS: 13.7% and 41.2%, respectively, p < 0.01). Logistic regression taking into account MetS, age, gender, ethnicity, period of inclusion, and Charlson Index showed that COVID-19 deterioration was 5.3 times more likely in MetS patients (95% confidence interval 1.3–20.2) than no-MetS patients.

Conclusions

Over 81.3% of patients hospitalized in COVID-19 units had MetS. This syndrome appears to be an independent risk factor of COVID-19 deterioration.

Keywords

COVID-19 deterioration
Metabolic syndrome
Prevalence
Prognosis

Abbreviations

BMI
Body mass index
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019
CRP
C-reactive protein
ICU
Intensive care unit
MetS
Metabolic syndrome
MetSFPG
Metabolic syndrome defined according to fasting glycemia instead of HbA1c
PCR
Polymerase chain reaction

Cited by (0)

1

Equal contribution.

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