The Effect of Obesity on COVID-19 Course

Year 2021, Volume: 74 Issue: S1 , 53 - 58 , 27.04.2026

Belgin Coşkun , Müge Ayhan , Elif Mukime Sarıcaoğlu , Rahmet Güner , Esragül Akıncı , Bircan Kayaaslan , Adalet Aypak , İmran Hasanoğlu , Ayşe Kaya Kalem , Fatma Eser , Yeşim Aybar Bilir , Burcu Özdemir

https://izlik.org/JA38RE47LF

Abstract

Objectives: Clinical features and risk factors are highly variable for Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Researchers investigate for the prediction
of people who have high risk of developing severe illness and dying. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of obesity on the course of
COVID-19.
Materials and Methods: Patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 were retrospectively screened between March 11 and April 30. Anthropometric
measures including standing height and body weight were measured at admission. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated and patients were
classified into three groups as BMI<25, BMI 25-29.99, and BMI≥30 according to the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of obesity in Turkey.
Results: A statistically significant correlation was found between BMI and disease severity and intensive care unit admission (p<0.001and p<0.001
respectively). A significant relationship was found between the BMI and support of invasive mechanical ventilation (p=0.007). Mortality rates of the
patients were also significantly different in BMI groups (p=0.030). The mortality rate was 1.1% in patients with a BMI <25 and 1.3% in patients with
a BMI 25-29.99. However, mortality rate was 8.6% in patients with a BMI ≥30.
Conclusion: The relationship between infectious diseases and obesity has not been established yet. Immune system deficiency, obesity-related
comorbidities and respiratory tract abnormalities may cause poor prognosis of infectious diseases. So early detection and aggressive treatment for
obese patient with COVID-19 is very important.

Keywords

obesity , covid-19 , infection

References

• Coşkun, B., Ayhan, M., Sarıcaoğlu, E. M., Güner, R., Akıncı, E., Kayaaslan, B., Altunsoy Aypak, A., Hasanoğlu, İ., Kaya Kalem, A., Eser, F., Aybar Bilir, Y., & Özdemir, B. (2021). The effect of obesity on COVID-19 course. Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Mecmuası, 74(Suppl 1), 53-58. DOI: 10.4274/atfm.galenos.2021.83097