Study finds men have a 30pc higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than women

Men have a 30% higher risk of dying from Covid-19 than women of the same age and health status, according to a new study that analyzed the link between common patient characteristics and the risk of dying from the disease. infection with the novel coronavirus. Hospitalized Covid-19 patients have a greater risk of dying if they are men or if they are obese or have complications from diabetes or high blood pressure, the study noted, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. .

As part of the research, scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) in the United States evaluated nearly 67,000 hospital patients with Covid-19 at 613 hospitals across the country. They said that patients with obesity, hypertension, or poorly managed diabetes had a higher risk of dying compared to those without these conditions. The study noted that Covid-19 patients aged 20 to 39 with these conditions had the greatest difference in their risk of dying compared to their healthier peers.

“Knowledge is a power in many ways, so I think understanding which Covid-19 hospital patients are most at risk of death can help guide difficult treatment decisions,” said the study’s corresponding author. Anthony D. Harris.

Researchers believe that healthcare providers might consider these risks when determining which Covid-19 patients could benefit the most from antibody treatments which, if given in the first days of infection, can reduce the risk of infection. risk of hospitalization.

According to the study, age remained the best predictor of mortality from Covid-19. He noted that overall, nearly 19% of Covid-19 hospital patients died from their infection with the lowest mortality among pediatric patients, which was less than 2%.

Death rates increased with each decade of life with the highest mortality, 34%, among those 80 and older.

“Older patients still have the highest risk of dying, but younger patients with obesity or hypertension have the highest risk of dying compared to other patients their age without these conditions,” he said. said lead author of the study Katherine E. Goodman.