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. 2021 Mar 10;31(3):769-773.
doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2020.11.030. Epub 2020 Dec 8.

Obesity as a risk factor for hospitalization in COronaVirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) patients: Analysis of the Tuscany regional database

Benedetta Bellini  1 , Barbara Cresci  2 , Claudia Cosentino  2 , Francesco Profili  1 , Simone Bartolacci  1 , Daniele Scoccimarro  3 , Fabio Voller  1 , Daniela Balzi  4 , Paolo Francesconi  1 , Edoardo Mannucci  5
Affiliations

Obesity as a risk factor for hospitalization in COronaVirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) patients: Analysis of the Tuscany regional database

Benedetta Bellini et al. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. .

Abstract

Background and aims: Aim of the present study is to determine the role of obesity as a risk factor for COronaVirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) hospitalization.

Methods and results: This observational study was performed using Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) Tuscany COVID-19 database by the Agenzia Regionale Sanità (ARS), including all COVID-19 cases registered until April 30th, 2020, with reported information on chronic diseases. The principal outcome was hospitalization. An age and gender-adjusted logistic regression model was used to assess the association of clinical and demographic characteristics with hospitalization. Further multivariate models were applied. Of 4481 included subjects (36.9% aged over 70 years), 1907 (42.6%) were admitted to hospital. Obesity was associated with hospitalization after adjusting for age and gender. The association of obesity with hospitalization retained statistical significance in a fully adjusted model, including possible confounders (OR: 2.99 [IC 95% 2.04-4.37]). The effect of obesity was more evident in younger (<70 years) than in older (≥70 years) subjects.

Conclusions: The present data confirm that obesity is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization in patients with COVID-19. Interestingly, the association of obesity with hospitalization was greater in younger (<70 years) patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; Obesity; Tuscany.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
OR of hospitalization (multivariate model) Panel A - adjustment for age, gender and comorbidities; Panel B- in positive cases of SARS-Cov-2 <70 years; Panel C – in positive cases of SARS-Cov-2 >70 years.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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