Cited by 209Long-Term Effects of COVID-19COVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research

Age, Sex and Previous Comorbidities as Risk Factors Not Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection for Long COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Notarte, Kin Israel, de Oliveira, Maria Helena Santos, Peligro, Princess Juneire, Velasco, Jacqueline Veronica, Macaranas, Imee, Ver, Abbygail Therese, Pangilinan, Flos Carmeli, Pastrana, Adriel +7 more·2022·Journal of Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Identification of predictors of long COVID-19 is essential for managing healthcare plans of patients. This systematic literature review and meta-analysis aimed to identify risk factors not associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, but rather potentially predictive of the development of long COVID-19. MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases, as well as medRxiv and bioRxiv preprint servers were screened through 15 September 2022. Peer-reviewed studies or preprints evaluating potential pre-SARS-CoV-2 infection risk factors for the development of long-lasting symptoms were included. The methodological quality was assessed using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPSs) tool. Random-effects meta-analyses with calculation of odds ratio (OR) were performed in those risk factors where a homogenous long COVID-19 definition was used. From 1978 studies identified, 37 peer-reviewed studies and one preprint were included. Eighteen articles evaluated age, sixteen articles evaluated sex, and twelve evaluated medical comorbidities as risk factors of long COVID-19. Overall, single studies reported that old age seems to be associated with long COVID-19 symptoms (n = 18); however, the meta-analysis did not reveal an association between old age and long COVID-19 (n = 3; OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.03, p = 0.17). Similarly, single studies revealed that female sex was associated with long COVID-19 symptoms (n = 16); which was confirmed in the meta-analysis (n = 7; OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.86, p = 0.01). Finally, medical comorbidities such as pulmonary disease (n = 4), diabetes (n = 1), obesity (n = 6), and organ transplantation (n = 1) were also identified as potential risk factors for long COVID-19. The risk of bias of most studies (71%, n = 27/38) was moderate or high. In conclusion, pooled evidence did not support an association between advancing age and long COVID-19 but supported that female sex is a risk factor for long COVID-19. Long COVID-19 was also associated with some previous medical comorbidities.

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  • Pre-existing comorbidities, such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, and immunosuppressive conditions, can also be associated with higher risks of long COVID.

    “Since pre-existing comorbidities, such as asthma, diabetes, obesity, and immunosuppressive conditions, can also be associated with higher risks of long COVID [3,7,8]”

    From Protective effect of COVID-19 vaccination against long COVID syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) · cites this paper as [7]

    Results §3.4 links asthma, obesity, and kidney transplantation to aspects of long COVID, supporting the cautious claim for those groups. It reports no difference in the number of long-COVID symptoms between patients with and without diabetes, however, and its transplant finding does not establish a risk for immunosuppressive conditions generally. The Discussion (§4.3) also cautions that the obesity association may be confounded. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
Notarte, K. I., de Oliveira, M. H. S., Peligro, P. J., Velasco, J. V., Macaranas, I., Ver, A. T., Pangilinan, F. C., Pastrana, A., Goldrich, N., Kavteladze, D., Gellaco, M. M. L., Liu, J., Lippi, G., Henry, B. M., & Fernández-de-las-Peñas, C.
Affiliations
  • Johns Hopkins University (US)
  • Department of Biostatistics, State University of Maringa, Maringá 87020-900, Brazil
  • University of Santo Tomas (PH)
  • New York Medical College (US)
  • University of Verona (IT)
  • Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (US)
  • Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Madrid, Spain
Venue
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2022-12-09
Volume
11
Issue
24
Pages
7314
ISSN
2077-0383 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4311974713
Cited by
209
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 55 · 2024: 78 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 1
FWCI
6.86
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Clinical Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Fondo Europeo De Desarrollo Regional—Recursos REACT-UE del Programa Operativo de Madrid 2014–2020
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
Keywords
long COVID, risk factors, age, sex differences, female sex as risk factor, comorbidities, obesity, diabetes mellitus, lung disease, organ transplantation, COVID-19 pandemic, prognostic factors, risk of bias

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