Covid-19 patients with chronic kidney disease are three times more likely to die: Study

Researchers have confirmed major co-morbidities that elevate the risk of dying from the coronavirus.

These include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, stroke, and cancer.

The findings were published in the journal PLOS ONE. The researchers of the study believe that this will help health officials improve patient care and develop interventions that can target these high-risk populations.

Study author Paddy Ssentongo from the Penn State University in the US said in a statement: “This study suggests that these chronic conditions are not just common in patients with Covid-19, but their presence is a warning sign to a higher risk of death.”

Methodology

For the study, the researchers carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine which chronic conditions put hospitalised patients at risk of dying from Covid-19.

They explored 11 co-existing conditions that pose a risk of severe disease and death among Covid-19 patients, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, asthma, chronic liver disease, and HIV/AIDS.

They examined data collected from over 65,000 patients from 25 studies worldwide. The average age of patients was 61 years.

The results

They found that certain pre-existing health conditions affected survival rates more than others.

Researchers determined that patients with diabetes and cancer are 1.5 times more likely to die. Patients with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and congestive heart failure are twice as likely to die. While patients with chronic kidney disease are three times more likely to die.

Researchers wrote in their study: “As the Covid-19 pandemic continues through 2020 and likely into 2021, we expect that other researchers will build on our work.”

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