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. 2024 Jan 6:17:29-36.
doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S444318. eCollection 2024.

The Influence of Obesity on Bone Health in Post-COVID-19 Recovery- Single-Center Experience

Bhumi Chaturvedi  1 , Sourav Debnath  1 , Hemant Bareth  1 , Preeti Raj  2 , Pratima Singh  3 , Mahaveer Singh  4 , Deepak Nathiya  1   5   6 , Balvir Singh Tomar  5   6   7
Affiliations

The Influence of Obesity on Bone Health in Post-COVID-19 Recovery- Single-Center Experience

Bhumi Chaturvedi et al. Int J Gen Med. .

Abstract

Introduction: The ongoing repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic include potentially deleterious impacts on bone health.

Aim: This research aimed to ascertain the effects of COVID-19 on the bone health of obese and non-obese Indian individuals.

Methods: We executed a case-control study enrolling individuals who recovered from COVID-19. Participants were stratified into obese and non-obese groups based on their BMI. Comprehensive assessments encompassed anthropometric evaluations, laboratory tests, and bone mineral density (BMD) measurements using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).

Results: From April to July 2022, we enrolled obese (n = 27, mean BMI = 30.54 ± 4.51 kg/m 2) and non-obese (n = 23, mean BMI = 21.97 ± 2.20 kg/m 2) individuals. The cohort's average age was 36.08 ± 15.81 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.6:1. There was a difference in BMD, especially at the total hip, between the two groups. BMD at the spine (L1-L4), the neck of the femur, and ultra-distal radius were consistent across both groups. Weight exhibited a significant positive correlation with BMD at L1-L4 (r = 0.40, p = 0.003) and the left femur total (r = 0.27, p = 0.001). Haemoglobin levels were lower in the obese group compared to their non-obese counterparts (12.3 ± 2.0 vs 13.6 ± 1.9, p = 0.01). Multivariate analysis underscored weight as a crucial predictor for BMD at the spine (L1-L4, p = 0.003) and total hip (p = 0.001).

Conclusion: Even with advanced age, obese post-COVID-19 individuals demonstrate a higher bone mineral density (BMD) at the hip than non-obese subjects.

Keywords: COVID-19; bone mineral density; fracture risk; obesity; osteopenia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparative Analysis of Anthropometric Measurements in Obese and Non-Obese Participants. The figure illustrates the differences in Height (p = 0.075), Weight (p <0.001), BMI (p = <0.001), waist circumference (p = <0.001), Hip circumference (p = <0.001), and WHR (p = 0.740) between the two groups. p value < 0.05 are considered statistically significant and marked in bold.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparative Analysis of Bone Mineral Density (BMD) in Obese and Non-Obese Participants. This figure depicts the differences in BMD measurements at specific anatomical sites: Lumbar Spine (L1-L4), Left Neck of Femur, Left Total Hip, and Distal Radius. Notably, obese participants exhibited higher BMD values at the Left Total Hip.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scatter plots with linear regression lines showing the correlation of weight with bone mineral density (BMD) at specific anatomical sites. The figure displays the relationship between weight and BMD measurements at the lumbar spine (L1-L4), left neck of the femur, left total Hip, and distal radius. A positive correlation was observed between weight and BMD at L1-L4 (r = 0.40, p = 0.003) and with left total Hip BMD (r = 0.27, p = 0.001).
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