SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2023
Obesity as an independent risk factor for COVID-19 severity and mortality.
Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
36 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Gut microbial metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide as a novel predictor for adverse cardiovascular events after PCI: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.Nutrition journal · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Multidimensional frailty as a predictor of mortality among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC geriatrics · 2024Pooled it
- Risk factors for long COVID in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.World journal of pediatrics : WJP · 2024Pooled it
- Associations of diabetes, hypertension and obesity with COVID-19 mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ global health · 2023Pooled it
- Paleopathology Meets Public Health: Deep-Time Syndemics and the Ecology of Emerging Infections.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Trends and Disparities in Obesity-Related Mortality Among U.S. Adults: A CDC WONDER Analysis (1968-2025).Obesity science & practice · 2026Article
- Adult obesity and risk of severe infections: a multicohort study with global burden estimates.Lancet (London, England) · 2026Article
- Impact of obesity on COVID-19 CoronaVac and ChAdOx1-S vaccine efficacy.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Pre-existing comorbidities and hospitalization for COVID-19 are associated with post-COVID conditions in the U.S. veteran population.Communications medicine · 2025Article
- Chronic Conditions and Adherence to COVID-19 Preventive Measures in Pitt County, North Carolina.AJPM focus · 2025Article
- Improved Survival in Malnourished COVID-19 Inpatients with Oral Nutrition Supplementation.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Trends in obesity defined by body mass index among adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a repeated cross-sectional study of the 2009-2023 Canadian Community Heath Surveys.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2025Article
- Clinical outcomes of early remdesivir administration in hospitalized patients at high risk for severe COVID-19 during the Omicron wave.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Impact of Obesity-Associated SARS-CoV-2 Mutations on COVID-19 Severity and Clinical Outcomes.Viruses · 2024Article
- Outcomes of Patients with Heart Failure Hospitalized for COVID-19-A Study in a Tertiary Italian Center.Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Racial-Ethnic Disparities of Obesity Require Community Context-Specific Biomedical Research for Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders.Nutrients · 2024Review
- Symptoms can predict COVID-19 pneumonia in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Associations between body mass index and physical fitness indicators among Chinese university students: a multicenter cross-sectional study.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2024Article
- Protecting effects of smoking against COVID-19: a community-based retrospective cohort study in middle- and older-aged adults.Internal and emergency medicine · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
35 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSince December 2019, the world has struggled with the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after the introduction of various vaccines, this disease still takes a considerable toll. In order to improve the optimal allocation of resources and communication of prognosis, healthcare providers and patients need an accurate understanding of factors (such as obesity) that are associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes from the COVID-19 infection.
objectivesTo evaluate obesity as an independent prognostic factor for COVID-19 severity and mortality among adult patients in whom infection with the COVID-19 virus is confirmed. SEARCH
methodsMEDLINE, Embase, two COVID-19 reference collections, and four Chinese biomedical databases were searched up to April 2021. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included case-control, case-series, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, and secondary analyses of randomised controlled trials if they evaluated associations between obesity and COVID-19 adverse outcomes including mortality, mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, hospitalisation, severe COVID, and COVID pneumonia. Given our interest in ascertaining the independent association between obesity and these outcomes, we selected studies that adjusted for at least one factor other than obesity. Studies were evaluated for inclusion by two independent reviewers working in duplicate. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Using standardised data extraction forms, we extracted relevant information from the included studies. When appropriate, we pooled the estimates of association across studies with the use of random-effects meta-analyses. The Quality in Prognostic Studies (QUIPS) tool provided the platform for assessing the risk of bias across each included study. In our main comparison, we conducted meta-analyses for each obesity class separately. We also meta-analysed unclassified obesity and obesity as a continuous variable (5 kg/m AUTHORS'
conclusionsOur findings suggest that obesity is an important independent prognostic factor in the setting of COVID-19. Consideration of obesity may inform the optimal management and allocation of limited resources in the care of COVID-19 patients.
Indexed as
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What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.