Is Lipid Levels Associated with Mortality of COVID-19? A Meta-Analysis

This study aimed to perform a meta-analysis to assess the impact of lipid levels on COVID-19 mortality. PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched for relevant articles published up to September 13, 2023. Associations of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with mortality were estimated using odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Cochran’s Q and I2 values were applied to determine heterogeneity, followed by subgroup analyses for exploring sources of heterogeneity. Sensitivity and publication bias analyses were performed. Fourteen articles with 484 609 cases were enrolled. High TC (OR: 1.84; 95%CI: 1.44, 2.34; P < 0.001), TG levels (OR: 1.68; 95%CI: 1.33, 2.12; P < 0.001), as well as low HDL-C level (OR: 0.67; 95%CI: 0.55, 0.82; P < 0.001) significantly increased the risk of COVID-19 mortality. However, no relationship was observed between LDL-C and mortality risk (P = 0.846). Results were confirmed to be robust, without publication bias. Lipid levels were obviously associated with increased mortality of COVID-19. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor blood lipid levels in patients with COVID-19 and develop appropriate lipid-modifying therapies to reduce mortality.