Almanac of Clinical MedicineAlmanac of Clinical Medicine2072-05052587-9294Moscow Regional Research and Clinical Institute (MONIKI)177210.18786/2072-0505-2022-50-060Research ArticleThe impact of obesity on COVID-19 outcomes in hospitalized patientsMarkovaTatiana N.<p>MD, PhD, Associate Professor; Professor, Chair of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Faculty of General Medicine; Head of Department of Endocrinology</p>markovatn18@yandex.ruhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7911-2424AnchutinaAnastasia A.<p>Senior Technician, Chair of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Faculty of General Medicine; Endocrinologist, Department of Endocrinology</p>anastasia.ponomariova@yandex.ruhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6202-8821BodranetsAngelina A.<p>Resident Physician, Chair of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Faculty of General Medicine</p>angelishka95@gmail.comhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3423-7893A.I. Yevdokimov Moscow State University of Medicine and DentistryMoscow City Clinical Hospital No. 52170220235084714801812202203022023Copyright © 2023, Markova T.N., Anchutina A.A., Bodranets A.A.2023<p><strong>Background:</strong> Obesity is recognized as a risk factor for adverse outcomes in patients with COVID-19. However, a number of studies, including an analysis of the Federal Registry of Diabetic Patients (Russian Federation), have not identified any significant effect of obesity on mortality in COVID-19. Therefore, the role of obesity, assessed by body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), as a risk factor for an unfavorable course of coronavirus infection remains disputable.</p>
<p><strong>Aim:</strong> To assess the impact of obesity on the severity and outcomes of coronavirus infection in the Russian population of hospitalized patients.</p>
<p><strong>Materials and methods:</strong> This was a single center, retrospective, observational study in 367 patients with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 hospitalized to the in-patient department from April 2020 to November 2021. The first group included 185 patients with obesity (BMI 30.0 kg/m<sup>2</sup>); the second group consisted of 182 patients without obesity (BMI 30.0 kg/m<sup>2</sup>). Prevalence of comorbidities, clinical and laboratory parameters, and computed tomography results were assessed in both groups. WC was measured in 100 patients.</p>
<p><strong>Results:</strong> In this Russian population of hospitalized patients with COVID-19, obesity (BMI 30.0 kg/m<sup>2</sup>) didn't increase the probability of death both in the general sample (odds ratio (OR) = 1.31; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.901.92, p = 0.164) and in the patients with type 2 diabetes (OR = 1.0; 95% CI 0.591.7, p = 0.997) or without diabetes (OR = 1.3; 95% CI 0.712.39, p = 0.392). However, obesity was associated with a 1,7-fold increase of the risk of severe COVID-19 (95% CI 1.132.59, p = 0.010). Morbid and abdominal obesity (according to World Health Organization and International Diabetes Federation criteria) had no significant impact on the death rate. WC of 101 cm, regardless of the patients gender, was associated with a 4,9-fold increase of the risk of death (95% CI 1.4516.42, p = 0.012).</p>
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