Obesity Parameters as Predictor of Poor Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients with Confirmed Mild-to-Moderate COVID-19

Abstract

(1) Background: This study aims to assess visceral fat values, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), and body fat percentage for their ability to predict poor outcomes during COVID-19 patients’ hospitalization; (2) Methods: This study was a prospective cohort of mild–moderate COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital from December 2020 to March 2021. This study includes hospitalized patients over 18 diagnosed with COVID-19 using RT-PCR. Patients who do not have chest radiography, waist circumference, a bioimpedance analyzer (BIA) error, or are unable to stand or mobilize during the examination are excluded from this study. Cox regression was used for multivariate analysis; (3) Results: The study included two hundred sixty-one patients. The median visceral fat value was 10 (equivalent to 100 cm2), the WC was 93.4 cm, the BMI was 26.1 kg/m2, and the body fat percentage was 31.5%. Based on multivariate Cox regression, WC was statistically significant as an independent factor influencing poor outcomes in COVID-19 patients (RR 1.037 [95% CI 1.011–1.064]) along with COVID-19 degree of severity (RR 3.063 [95% CI 1.537–6.104]) and comorbidities (RR 2.123 [95% CI 1.017–4.435]); (4) Conclusions: Waist circumference can influence poor outcomes in confirmed COVID-19 patients during hospitalization.

Keywords

• ARDS
• waist circumference
• COVID-19 severity
• obesity
• poor outcome