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Research
Haitham Qandeel
The Hashemite University Department of Economics
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5736-4644
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background
Obesity and fatty liver steatosis are already considered metabolic risk factors that may aggravate the severity of COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the correlation between COVID-19 severity, body mass index, and hepatic steatosis.
Methods
Consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, admitted to a hospital devoted to COVID-19 patients, were enrolled in the study. COVID-19 severity was classified as severe versus non-severe based on the condition at time of admission to ICU. Obesity was assessed by Body Mass Index (BMI). CT-scan of the patient liver was used to check for the hepatic steatosis. Fibrosis-4 score was calculated.
Results
230 patients were enrolled in this study. Obesity strongly and positively correlated with severe COVID-19 illness. Hepatic steatosis had rather less of a correlation with COVID-19 severity. Multivariable-adjusted association between hepatic steatosis or obesity, or both (as exposure) and COVID-19 severity (as the outcome) revealed an increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness with obesity, with hepatic steatosis, and with hepatic steatosis among obese patients.
Conclusions
BMI remained the most noticeable factor that strongly correlated with COVID-19 severity. Obesity even in the absence of hepatic steatosis greatly increased the risk of severe COVID-19. This association remained significant after adjusting for likely confounders. The presence of liver steatosis even in non-obese patients increased the risk of severe COVID-19 but to a much lesser degree compared to obesity. The risk of steatosis to COVID-19 severity was greater in those with than those without obesity. This association also remained significant after adjusting for likely confounders
Keywords
COVID-19, obesity, fatty liver, Body Mass Index, Hepatic Steatosis
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A new preprint design is coming!
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This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Research
Haitham Qandeel
The Hashemite University Department of Economics
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5736-4644
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
History
CURRENT STATUS: Posted
Version 1
Posted 21 Sep, 2020
No community comments so far
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background
Obesity and fatty liver steatosis are already considered metabolic risk factors that may aggravate the severity of COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the correlation between COVID-19 severity, body mass index, and hepatic steatosis.
Methods
Consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, admitted to a hospital devoted to COVID-19 patients, were enrolled in the study. COVID-19 severity was classified as severe versus non-severe based on the condition at time of admission to ICU. Obesity was assessed by Body Mass Index (BMI). CT-scan of the patient liver was used to check for the hepatic steatosis. Fibrosis-4 score was calculated.
Results
230 patients were enrolled in this study. Obesity strongly and positively correlated with severe COVID-19 illness. Hepatic steatosis had rather less of a correlation with COVID-19 severity. Multivariable-adjusted association between hepatic steatosis or obesity, or both (as exposure) and COVID-19 severity (as the outcome) revealed an increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness with obesity, with hepatic steatosis, and with hepatic steatosis among obese patients.
Conclusions
BMI remained the most noticeable factor that strongly correlated with COVID-19 severity. Obesity even in the absence of hepatic steatosis greatly increased the risk of severe COVID-19. This association remained significant after adjusting for likely confounders. The presence of liver steatosis even in non-obese patients increased the risk of severe COVID-19 but to a much lesser degree compared to obesity. The risk of steatosis to COVID-19 severity was greater in those with than those without obesity. This association also remained significant after adjusting for likely confounders
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