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Effect of obesity and body mass index on coronavirus disease 2019 severity: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Author(s) -
Chang TuHsuan,
Chou ChiaChing,
Chang LuanYin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
obesity reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.845
H-Index - 162
eISSN - 1467-789X
pISSN - 1467-7881
DOI - 10.1111/obr.13089
Subject(s) - medicine , body mass index , meta analysis , obesity , odds ratio , cochrane library , mechanical ventilation , observational study , medline , covid-19 , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , political science , law
Summary We conducted a systematic review of observational studies to examine the effects of body mass index (BMI) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched. Sixteen articles were finally included in the meta‐analysis, and a random effects model was used. BMI was found to be higher in patients with severe disease than in those with mild or moderate disease (MD 1.6, 95% CI, 0.8–2.4; p = .0002) in China; however, the heterogeneity was high ( I 2 = 75%). Elevated BMI was associated with invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) use (MD 4.1, 95% CI, 2.1–6.1; p < .0001) in Western countries, and this result was consistent across studies ( I 2 = 0%). Additionally, there were increased odds ratios of IMV use (OR 2.0, 95% CI, 1.4–2.9; p < .0001) and hospitalization (OR 1.4, 95% CI, 1.3–1.60; p < .00001) in patients with obesity. There was no substantial heterogeneity ( I 2 = 0%). In conclusion, obesity or high BMI increased the risk of hospitalization, severe disease and invasive mechanical ventilation in COVID‐19. Physicians must be alert to these early indicators to identify critical patients.