A study identifies the major risk factors for death from “Covid-19”

A new study by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine showed that “Covid-19” patients in hospitals are more likely to die if they are men, or suffer from obesity, complications from diabetes, or blood pressure high. In a study published yesterday in the Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases, researchers evaluated nearly 67,000 patients infected with the virus that causes “Covid-19” in 613 hospitals across the country to determine “the link between some common characteristics of patients and the risk of death from (COVID-19) “.

The researchers found that men had a 30 percent higher risk of dying compared to women of the same age and health, and hospitalized patients with obesity, high blood pressure or poorly controlled diabetes were more likely to die, compared to those without suffering from these conditions, and those between the ages of 20 and 39 who had these conditions had the greatest difference in risk of death compared to their healthy peers.

Anthony Harris, professor of epidemiology and public health, said in a report published by the University of Maryland website in conjunction with the study publication: “Knowledge is power in many ways, so I think understanding which of the patients ( Covid-19) in the hospital are more likely to die. It can help guide difficult treatment decisions. For example, patients at higher risk can be given remdesivir early in their hospital admission, to help prevent serious complications, or they can be closely monitored or admitted to the intensive care unit. “

He adds: “Healthcare providers may also want to consider these risks when identifying (Covid-19) patients who might benefit more from new monoclonal antibody treatments, which, if introduced in the early days of infection, can reduce the risk of hospitalization ‘.

In the context of the same study, age remained the strongest indicator of “Covid-19” deaths. Death rates increased with each decade of life, and the death rate was highest, 34 percent, among people 80 and older. “Older patients are even more likely to die,” says study author Catherine E. Goodman, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health. But younger patients who suffer from obesity or high blood pressure are more likely to die than other patients their age who do not have these conditions, and our findings direct physicians to pay extra attention to these patients upon admission. hospital. The researchers also found good news in the results of their study. Hospital mortality rates dropped dramatically after the first weeks of April, and this is likely due to the availability of new treatments and increased knowledge in the medical community about how to properly manage and care for patients in hospital.

“As we move into what may be the darkest weeks of the pandemic, it is reassuring to know that our researchers continue to make important advances that could help guide the decision-making skills of healthcare workers in this area.” says Goodman.

For his part, Dr. Adel Desouky, consultant for respiratory diseases at the Egyptian Ministry of Health, believes that “the risk factors monitored by the study are largely similar to the risk factors for the virus that causes influenza, except by the increase of infections between men more than between women “.

He says: “The reasons that lead to higher infections among men than among women must be studied and explained, especially since the difference in injury rate that the study monitored is large.”