Unmasking the role of obesity in COVID-19: Effects on laboratory parameters, inflammatory markers and clinical outcome

Objectives: To compare the outcome in obese and non-obese covid positive patients. Methodology: In this retrospective study, data were obtained from the records of 150 COVID-positive patients, aged 18-80 years, admitted to Railway Hospital Rawalpindi and Riphah International Hospital Sihala from July 2021 to November 2022. Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of BMI. They were categorised into two groups: obese and non-obese. Laboratory parameters parameters, inflammatory markers and outcomes were compared in two groups. Results: Blood gas analysis revealed significantly higher pCO₂ levels (62.01±21.98 vs 54.35±12.43 mmHg, p=0.011) and lower PO2 in obese as compared to non-obese (62.96±12.07 vs 65.85±11.09 mmHg, p=0.038). No significant differences were observed between the two groups for ferritin, d-dimers, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Obese patients had significantly higher glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (6.98±1.85% vs 6.17±1.64%, p=0.005). Oxygen requirements at discharge and mortality rate were significantly higher in obese as compared to non-obese (1.48±1.3 vs 0.70±1.05 L/min, p<0.001, and 33 (40.2%) deaths compared to 10 (14.7%), p=0.001). Conclusion: Obese covid positive patients were more likely to have poor outcome in terms of increase mortality.