Obesity Linked to Severe Coronavirus Disease, Especially for Younger Patients

[laylalex 7,300]

Quote

Obesity may be one of the most important predictors of severe coronavirus illness, new studies say. It’s an alarming finding for the United States, which has one of the highest obesity rates in the world.

Though people with obesity frequently have other medical problems, the new studies point to the condition in and of itself as the most significant risk factor, after only older age, for being hospitalized with Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Young adults with obesity appear to be at particular risk, studies show.

The research is preliminary, and not peer reviewed, but it buttresses anecdotal reports from doctors who say they have been struck by how many seriously ill younger patients of theirs with obesity are otherwise healthy.

...

More than half of Covid-19 deaths in the United States so far have been in New York and New Jersey, but the new findings mean the coronavirus could exact a steep toll in regions like the South and the Midwest, where obesity is more prevalent than in the Northeast.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/health/coronavirus-obesity-higher-risk.html

[TBoneTX 45,963]

Obesity is a predictor for a whole lot of stuff.

[Sparkle Sparkle 914]

Any underlying health issue is a precursor to the effect of Corona virus or any other virus as viruses are very opportunistic 

[laylalex 7,300]

Another article in the NYT (looking for it now) that linked to this one discusses how obesity was more, far more, of a risk factor than asthma in the most severe cases. You'd think that asthma sufferers would be amongst the most likely to suffer from the most severe cases. 

 

This was the article about asthmatics not being as likely to develop severe symptoms: 

Quote

 

The research at this early stage is minimal and not always consistent, as one would expect. A recent commentary published in Lancet by a group of European researchers called it “striking” that asthma appeared “to be underrepresented in the comorbidities reported for patients with Covid-19” — comorbidity being the term for a secondary health problem. A small study of 24 critically ill patients in Washington State noted that three had asthma.

“We’re not seeing a lot of patients with asthma,” said Dr. Bushra Mina, a pulmonary and critical care physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, which has treated more than 800 Covid cases. The more common risk factors, he added, are “morbid obesity, diabetes and chronic heart disease.”

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/health/coronavirus-asthma-risk.html

[TBoneTX 45,963]

1 hour ago, laylalex said:

The more common risk factors, he added, are “morbid obesity, diabetes and chronic heart disease.”

So far, no one has mentioned chimpanzee genetics or physical morphology... fingers crossed...

[cyclone27 710]

Most at danger are those with respiratory issues in lot of cases they also have other factors that contribute.

[OriZ 3,157]

9 hours ago, laylalex said:

Another article in the NYT (looking for it now) that linked to this one discusses how obesity was more, far more, of a risk factor than asthma in the most severe cases. You'd think that asthma sufferers would be amongst the most likely to suffer from the most severe cases. 

 

This was the article about asthmatics not being as likely to develop severe symptoms: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/health/coronavirus-asthma-risk.html

Asthma would make more sense if it was the actual virus killing people, but with the type of toll it takes on your immune system and your body, it does make sense that obesity would have a pretty big effect.

[yuna628 9,700]

Little evidence to suggest that asthma is a big risk factor strangely enough, I know some people that have been talking about that oddity. I do know one case of a younger gentleman that had asthma and did end up on a ventilator. He did survive though, after about five days on it.

 

But: obesity, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes (even pre-diabetic), immune system issues, cancer, and HIV all risk factors. The fact that this virus seems to attack areas of the body involved with the kidneys and heart would push those risk factors higher if you already have problems with it. Still, seemingly healthy people also fall victim. I don't think it is necessarily the obesity that is contributing to killing them - but if you are overweight you are going to be more likely to have all of the above issues.

 

The biggest pre-existing factor though, seems being male, of which they still aren't sure why.

[Steeleballz 7,550]

51 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

Little evidence to suggest that asthma is a big risk factor strangely enough, I know some people that have been talking about that oddity. I do know one case of a younger gentleman that had asthma and did end up on a ventilator. He did survive though, after about five days on it.

 

But: obesity, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes (even pre-diabetic), immune system issues, cancer, and HIV all risk factors. The fact that this virus seems to attack areas of the body involved with the kidneys and heart would push those risk factors higher if you already have problems with it. Still, seemingly healthy people also fall victim. I don't think it is necessarily the obesity that is contributing to killing them - but if you are overweight you are going to be more likely to have all of the above issues.

 

The biggest pre-existing factor though, seems being male, of which they still aren't sure why.

 

  Possibly that males at a given age are statistically likely to have more of the other pre-existing conditions. Also possibly related to the fact that men are statistically significantly less likely to seek medical help, both preventative and curative, as early as women do. 

 

  If we picked a random disease and plotted the mortality data for men vs women, the chances are relatively high than men would have the higher mortality rate.  

[Steeleballz 7,550]

1 hour ago, OriZ said:

Asthma would make more sense if it was the actual virus killing people, but with the type of toll it takes on your immune system and your body, it does make sense that obesity would have a pretty big effect.

 

    It also seems likely that people with asthma would be doing all they can to keep it well controlled right now. I had asthma as a kid. I haven't had symptoms for probably 30 years now, but I still remember having the attacks after running. I never really had issues if I took the medication. It was when I thought I was fine and let it get out of control that I would have problems.

[TBoneTX 45,963]

46 minutes ago, Steeleballz said:

I never really had issues if I took the medication.

I suspect that the severity of and mortality rate in these virus cases are increased by senior citizens who are ignoring their medical regimens prescribed for their existing comorbid conditions.

[Steeleballz 7,550]

24 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

I suspect that the severity of and mortality rate in these virus cases are increased by senior citizens who are ignoring their medical regimens prescribed for their existing comorbid conditions.

 

   Even taking medications, I think older people are still at greater risk. Age itself would be a pre-existing risk factor. I think in younger age groups, especially middle age, it may be the case that conditions exist, but have not yet been recognized. Obesity would statistically cause a higher risk of some of the other conditions, and maybe just that obesity itself may make hypoxia more likely due to decreased lung volume.

 

  I think some of the conditions associated are more of an extrapolation from other respiratory illnesses. I don't necessarily see asthma making someone more susceptible to catching the virus, but if the condition is not well controlled, catching the virus would make it worse. I guess my feeling is asthma is one of those things that can be relatively well controlled if you stay on top of it, whereas something like COPD, or cardiovascular disease can be managed, but it's hard to undo much of the damage that exists. 

 

  

[TBoneTX 45,963]

49 minutes ago, Steeleballz said:

asthma is one of those things that can be relatively well controlled if you stay on top of it, whereas something like COPD

Isn't COPD the umbrella term that includes asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema?

Is there non-COPD asthma, such as exertional asthma?

[Lil bear 4,295]

9 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

Isn't COPD the umbrella term that includes asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema?

Is there non-COPD asthma, such as exertional asthma?

Asthma is different to and separate from COPD .. emphysema and bronchitis are the two most common COPD presentations. 

[Steeleballz 7,550]

55 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

Isn't COPD the umbrella term that includes asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema?

Is there non-COPD asthma, such as exertional asthma?

 

44 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

Asthma is different to and separate from COPD .. emphysema and bronchitis are the two most common COPD presentations. 

 

   I think there is a risk that asthma can lead to COPD over time if it's not controlled, but it is not COPD.