CHRONIC MULTIMORBIDITY: COVID can lead to death

While previous research has identified risk factors for severe COVID such as older age, male gender, low socioeconomic status, belonging to an ethnic minority and the presence of a pre-existing condition, data regarding chronic multimorbidity are limited.

A third of adults worldwide suffer from multiple chronic conditions

The study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of more than 4 million COVID patients. This review thus takes into account the largest cohort of patients with COVID by combining data from 111 studies published between January 2020 and May 2023 and conducted in 51 countries. The meta-analysis reveals that:

• people with multiple chronic comorbidities are 2.5 times more likely to die in the weeks following infection; the estimated mortality rate is 22%;
• children, assessed separately, with multiple chronic comorbidities, have a 2.8 times greater risk of death in the weeks following infection; the estimated mortality rate is 8%;
• 2.4 times more risk of hospitalization at all ages and 3.5 times more in children;
• 1.8 times more likely to need mechanical ventilation at all ages and 4.3 times more in children;
• a 20% increased risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission at all ages and a 2.9-fold increased risk of NICU/ICU admission for children.

This major study therefore provides an updated picture of the COVID impact on people with chronic multimorbidity and its data calls for target, as a priority, the most vulnerable people suffering from multiple chronic conditions in health policies, in particular vaccination campaigns.

Lead author Dr Shukrat Salisu-Olatunji, a researcher at the University of Leicester concludes: “Our systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrates significantly higher risk of adverse outcomes from COVID for people living with multiple chronic conditions. Children and young people suffering from multiple chronic illnesses are also affected with more unfavorable consequences of the disease. This chronic multicomorbidity is therefore a major factor in poor prognosis at the extreme ages of life.”