A Third of COVID-19 Deaths Linked With Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity, or Smoking

Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and smoking each increase the risk of death from COVID-19, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis published online in BMJ Open.

“These findings support that people with diabetes, hypertension, [and] obesity should be prioritized for vaccination in order to limit the higher death rates in hospital,” researchers wrote. “Public policies should promote a healthier lifestyle including healthier diets and regular physical activity to reduce patient risk factors and comorbidities.”

The investigation spanned 186 studies of more than 1.3 million patients with COVID-19, among whom 210,447 deaths occurred. Researchers were interested in the association between diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and smoking with death in patients with COVID-19, as well as the proportion of COVID-19 deaths attributable to the conditions.

Among patients with COVID-19, those with diabetes had a 54% higher risk of death compared with those without diabetes, the study found. Similarly, patients with obesity had a 45% higher relative risk of COVID-19 mortality, patients with hypertension had a 42% increased relative risk, and patients who were current smokers had a 29% increased relative risk. (Ever smokers and former smokers had a 28% and 25% increased relative risk of COVID-19 death, respectively).

In all, the four conditions contributed to nearly 30% of COVID-19 deaths, according to researchers.

“The proportion of deaths attributable to diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and smoking was 8%, 7%, 11% and 2%, respectively,” they reported.

Reference:
Mahamat-Saleh Y, Fiolet T, Rebeaud ME, et al. Diabetes, hypertension, body mass index, smoking and COVID-19-related mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. BMJ Open. 2021;11(10):e052777. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052777