(1/7) Q. Is obesity really a risk factor for #COVID19?
A. It’s not necessarily a risk factor for infection, but a small number of studies suggest individuals with BMI > 30 (defined as "obese") are more likely to be hospitalized than individuals with BMI <30.
(2/7) Other studies show that individuals considered obese are more likely to need ventilation or admission to acute and critical care units.
These patterns are especially pronounced among adults YOUNGER THAN 60/65 years of age (depending on the study)
(3/7)
Excess body fat can induce immune dysregulation and chronic inflammation which is linked to the #CytokineStorm responsible for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in respiratory diseases.
Abdominal obesity, especially, can cause compress in the diaphragm and lungs.
(4/7)
What we don’t know so far:
Is obesity the only risk factor for worse progression? Or are there other underlying conditions that worsen progression? Studies have accounted for some other underlying conditions, but not all.
(5/7)
Are individuals who are obese less likely to seek care early on? Or could they have limited access to care?
If so, could these delays in care contribute to more severe presentation of disease at admission?
(6/7)
Would these findings hold up in an analysis of the general population which includes mild, asymptomatic individuals? So far, these studies are limited to people that interacted with the healthcare system, so we don't know if this trend hold in the general population.
(7/7)
See here for a summary of the studies so far: nytimes.com/2020/04/16/hea…
#Facts #COVID #CoronavirusPandemic #Corona
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