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COVID 19 and the Patient with Obesity – The Editors Speak Out
Author(s) -
Ryan Donna H.,
Ravussin Eric,
Heymsfield Steven
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.22808
Subject(s) - medicine , ards , disease , intensive care medicine , pandemic , obesity , acute kidney injury , pediatrics , covid-19 , infectious disease (medical specialty) , lung
The pandemic of COVID-19 is bringing public health to the forefront for all members of The Obesity Society. COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and is thought to be a betacoronavirus related to the SARS virus.1 The manifestations of the COVID-19 infection run the spectrum from asymptomatic disease to severe acute respiratory infection. Lacking herd immunity and in the absence of effective vaccines or antiviral therapies, countries around the world are witnessing an unprecedented strain on health systems and disruption of economies as we start to understand the biology and mode of transmission of COVID-19. At issue is that while most people with COVID-19 develop no symptoms or have only mild illness, the evidence from China indicates that approximately 14% develop severe disease that requires hospitalization and oxygen support, while 5% require admission to an intensive care unit.1 For those 5%, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock, multiorgan failure, including acute kidney injury and cardiac injury can all occur.2 Older age and co-morbid disease have been reported as risk factors for death while the present European experience seems to indicate more and more severe cases among younger age groups.3,4 The prevalence of diabetes was 20% and of hypertension 30% in the first cases analyzed for risk factors for severe disease.3,4