Abstract
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. MethodsConsecutive 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.Results230 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. ConclusionsBMI 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
Association of whole Blood Polyamine with Some Metabolic Risk Profiles among Middle-Aged Japanese Men.
