While numerous people are wondering how to deal and stay away from the terrifying SARS-CoV-2 virus that’s causing a lot of sorrow across the world, it seems that preexisting conditions can make somebody even more sensible to becoming ill with the COVID-19 disease. We’ve all knew this before, as people with certain diseases who also get infected by the ongoing pandemic can become a lot more ill and even die.
However, in biology and medicine, you never seem to reach the end of a chapter. A new study published recently in Diabetes Care brings bad news for COVID-19 patients that are also ill from metabolic syndrome, such as high diabetes, blood pressure, obesity, and/or abnormal cholesterol levels. These people are five times more likely than others to need intensive care and a ventilator. They’re also three to four times more likely to die from their infections.
Beware of the metabolic syndrome
The lead author of the study, Mr. Joshua Denson (MD, MS), declared:
“The underlying inflammation that is seen with metabolic syndrome may be the driver that is leading to these more severe cases,”
He also added:
“Metabolic syndrome should be considered a composite predictor of COVID-19 lethal outcome, increasing the odds of mortality by the combined effects of its individual components.”
For the study, 287 patients infected with COVID-19 were monitored between March 30 to April 5. They were hospitalized on New Orleans, and more than 85% of them were black. 66% of them were suffering from metabolic syndrome, which granted the perfect opportunity for the researchers to study them. They had conditions like diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and low-levels of high-density lipoprotein. Their average age was 61 years old.
If we compare these patients with their peers, a significantly higher rate of ill people with metabolic syndrome needed intensive care in the ICU – 56%, compared to only 24%. Furthermore, 48% of them required a ventilator, while only 24% of the less sick people needed one. Acute respiratory distress syndrome was developed by 37% of the patients with metabolic syndrome, while only 11% of the other group caught it. As for the worse part, 26% of the more ill group died, while much less from the other group shared the same fate: 10%.
Therefore, we should learn to protect our health more, whether we get COVID-19 or not. Health might be the most precious thing we have.
