ASSOCIATION OF COVID-19 CO-MORBIDITIES WITH MORTALITY RATE: AN ASSESSMENT-BASED SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Main Article Content

Adeel Aslam
Fahad Asim
Aamna Habib
Sadia Rafique
Wajiha Tahir
Rafia Anjum
Adiya Afzal
Tayyeba Mirza
Hamna Zaheer
Abdul Qader
Muhammad Sarfraz
Kanwal Asif

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2, Comorbidities, and mortality

Abstract

Background


The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, caused by a novel coronavirus, has resulted in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Pre-existing health conditions, such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, asthma, immunodeficiency, chronic kidney disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and diabetes, have been shown to enhance the risk of infection and exacerbate prognostic outcomes. Countries that have observed this correlation between COVID-19 mortality and comorbidities include Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Objective: So, the objective of the current study is to analyze how comorbidities affect clinical patterns and outcomes, emphasizing the importance of understanding their role in the severity of COVID-19.


Methodology


The methodology of the study involves conducting research in low- and middle-income countries while utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines for data extraction and screening.


Results


The results of this review analysis revealed that COVID-19 patients with comorbidities, specifically hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular illnesses, respiratory disorders, and smoking, experienced higher mortality rates. It was observed that younger individuals had a greater infection rate, while older individuals faced a higher risk of death due to complications. Notably, the age group between 18 to 59 years, representing the economically active population, exhibited the highest rate of COVID-19 infection. Conversely, individuals aged 60 years and above had a higher fatality rate attributed to disease-related complications.


Conclusion


Comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes were found to drastically increase the likelihood of severe outcomes among affected patients. So, the current systematic review findings confirm the close association between pre-existing health conditions and COVID-19-related fatalities.

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