Irish study identifies obesity as key risk factor in Covid-19 deaths
People Who Morbidly From Chance 40% Are Dying 19 Have A Covid Of Higher Obese
A study of 20,000 people with Covid-19 in Ireland has for the first time identified the underlying conditions definitely associated with severe illness from the virus.
People who are morbidly obese have a 40% higher chance of dying from Covid-19, people with kidney disease are nearly twice as likely to die. People with chronic neurological conditions including dementia have a 40% increased risk of dying.
Led by researchers at the University of Medicine and Health Sciences at RCSI, the study also found a recent cancer diagnosis is “significantly associated with higher risk of mortality among all cases”.
Associate professor in biostatistics at RCSI Kathleen Bennett said the study draws on the same data used by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet). This is the first time such data has been published as a block.
Using data gathered by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre in 2020, this is also the first study to combine hospital patients and sick people in the community to give an overall view of the Irish Covid-19 landscape.
Amongst the patients studied, there were 1,476 (7.5%) deaths, 2,811 (14%) hospitalisations and 438 (2%) ICU admissions.
The full list of conditions identified as carrying the most risk for people in Ireland is:
- Chronic heart disease;
- A chronic neurological condition;
- Chronic kidney disease;
- Cancer;
- Being morbidly obese.
Prof Bennett said: “What is reassuring is these [conditions] overlap very well with what the HSE has already published as “very high-risk” groups for vaccination. We are on the right track with that.”
She said she was surprised the data shows asthma and COPD were not more associated with severe illness or higher mortality rates.
“That didn’t come out strongly,” she said. “That could be because people were cocooning and protecting themselves because they knew it was a respiratory-related virus. Some of that was surprising.”
And Prof Bennett said being morbidly obese – a body mass index equal to or greater than 40 – is a very high risk factor for Covid-19.
“For ICU admission, you are seven and half times more likely to be admitted if you are morbidly obese. It’s really high, and it’s been shown in other countries as well.”
Prof Bennett said they hoped this analysis would help the general population be more aware of the risks to themselves or people in their social groups.
And there are also benefits for the health system. The study states: “Findings may inform the development of tools to predict those at highest risk of mortality, hospitalisation, and ICU admission.”
The study is published in the current edition of medical journal The Lancet Regional Health Europe.