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Review
. 2021 Apr 10:2021:6660930.
doi: 10.1155/2021/6660930. eCollection 2021.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors Associated with Severity and Death in COVID-19 Patients

Pengqiang Du  1 , Dandan Li  2 , Aifeng Wang  1 , Su Shen  2 , Zhichao Ma  3 , Xingang Li  2
Affiliations
Review

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors Associated with Severity and Death in COVID-19 Patients

Pengqiang Du et al. Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol. .

Abstract

This meta-analysis aims to screen the risk factors for severe illness and death and provide help for early clinical treatment of the new coronavirus (COVID-19). Based on a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases, we included studies that explored the cause and risk factors for severe illness and death in COVID-19 patients. We evaluated the strength of this relationship using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 17 articles were included; 16 of the 17 articles were from China, and the risk factors associated with severe illness and death were age, sex, and multiple comorbidities. Advanced age (≥65 years, severe illness, OR = 2.62; death, OR = 6.00), male (severe illness, OR = 1.49; death, OR = 1.54), chronic respiratory diseases (severe illness, OR = 5.67; death, OR = 3.72), diabetes (severe illness, OR = 3.27; death, OR = 2.60), hypertension (severe illness, OR = 3.08; death, OR = 3.53), chronic kidney disease (severe illness, OR = 3.59; death, OR = 5.38), and cardiovascular diseases (severe illness, OR = 3.87; death, OR = 4.91) were all risk factors. For COVID-19 patients, advanced age, male, and patients with chronic disease are at higher risk of developing severe illness or even death.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest associated with the publication of this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the identification of eligible trials.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Meta-analysis results of the association between risk factors and death. (a) Advanced age vs. young age. (b) Male vs. female. (c) Chronic lung diseases. (d) Diabetes. (e) Hypertension. (f) Chronic kidney disease. (g) Cardiovascular disease.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Meta-analysis results of the association between risk factors and severity. (a) Advanced age vs. young age. (b) Male vs. female. (c) Smoking vs. no smoking. (d) Chronic lung diseases. (e) Diabetes. (f) Hypertension. (g) Chronic kidney disease. (h) Cardiovascular disease.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Funnel plots of meta-analysis including (a) sex and severe, (b) diabetes and severe, (c) hypertension and severe, and (d) cardiovascular disease and severe.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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