COVID-19 severity among individuals with chronic diseases.

BACKGROUND

Previous studies reported that individuals with underlying chronic diseases who are infected with COVID-19 are at greater risk for more severe outcomes. In this study, we measured these risks among a wide range of comorbidities in a large cohort.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we analyzed the risk for hospitalization and the severity and mortality risk of COVID-19 among adults with obstructive lung diseases, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, kidney diseases, malignancies and immunosuppression states before the emergence of the Omicron variant. We used univariant analyses and adjusted for age, sex, Body Mass Index (BMI), smoking habits, Socioeconomic Status (SES) and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI).

RESULTS

Of the 44,866 individuals who were positive for COVID-19, 2358 were hospitalized. The adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) for hospitalization was significantly greater for most chronic diseases, with the highest risk for individuals who underwent a kidney transplant (15.06; 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI 7.86-28.73]). A significantly greater risk for severe COVID-19 than for mild to moderate disease (602 and 1657 patients, respectively) was found for patients with cerebrovascular diseases (aOR = 1.46; 95% CI 1.07-1.99). A greater mortality risk was demonstrated for individuals who had undergone kidney transplantation (aOR = 4.23; 95% CI 1.36-11.82) and those with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) (aOR = 1.43; 95% CI 1.02-1.99).

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with cerebrovascular disease were at increased risk for severe COVID-19, whereas individuals with CKD and past kidney transplantation were at increased mortality risk. These individuals should receive early medical intervention when they are diagnosed.