The prevalence and contributing risk factors of coronavirus disease 2019 infection in patients with metabolic syndrome

BACKGROUND: Components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) was reported to contribute to severe and worse outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hereby, we evaluated the association of MetS and its components with susceptibility to COVID-19. METHODS: Here, 1000 subjects with MetS were recruited that were diagnosed via the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criterion. Real-time PCR was exerted to detect SARS-CoV-2 in the nasopharyngeal swabs. RESULTS: Among the MetS patients, 206 (20.6%) cases were detected to have COVID-19. Smoking (OR = 5.04, 95%CI = 3.53–7.21, P < 0.0001) and CVD (OR = 1.62, 95%CI = 1.09–2.40, P = 0.015) were associated with increased chance of COVID-19 infection in the MetS patients. BMI was significantly higher (P = 0.0001) in MetS cases with COVID-19 than those without COVID-19. Obesity was associated with increased susceptibility to COVID-19 in MetS patients (OR = 2.00, 95%CI = 1.47–2.74, P < 0.0001). Total cholesterol, TG, LDL were significantly higher in the MetS cases with COVID-19 than those without COVID-19. Dyslipidemia was associated with increased chance of COVID-19 (OR = 1.50, 95%CI = 1.10–2.05, P = 0.0104). FBS level was significantly higher in the MetS cases with COVID-19. T2DM was associated with increased risk of COVID-19 in MetS patients (OR = 1.43, 95%CI = 1.01-2.00, P = 0.0384). Hypertension was associated with increased chance of COVID-19 in the MetS patients (OR = 1.44, 95%CI = 1.05–1.98, P = 0.0234). CONCLUSIONS: MetS and its components, like obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular complications were associated with increased chance of COVID-19 infection development and probably with aggravated symptoms in such patients.