J Natl Med Assoc. 2023 Jan 20:S0027-9684(23)00001-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jnma.2023.01.001. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Comparisons between Black and White patients with obesity hospitalized with COVID-19 have not been fully studied. We sought to determine outcomes differences between these two groups.
METHODS: National Inpatient Sample database year 2020 was studied using multivariable regression to compare Black and White patients with obesity and COVID-19 infection. Outcomes were in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and hospital charges.
RESULTS: 205,365 Black and White patients with obesity were hospitalized for COVID-19. 141,010 (68.6%) were White and 64,355 (31.3%) were Black. Black patients were younger (mean age [± standard error] 55.5 ± 0.14 vs. 62.1± 0.11; p < 0.01), more likely female (63.2% vs 50.9%; p < 0.01), and had lower mean comorbidity (Elixhauser score means [± standard error] 4.4 ± 0.02 vs. 4.6 ± 0.01; p < 0.01) than White patients. Black patients had lower odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted Odds Ratio {aOR}=0.86 CI [0.77-0.97]; p = 0.01), longer hospital stays (adjusted Mean Difference {aMD}=0.32 days CI [0.14-0.51]; p < 0.01) and incurred higher, though non-significant hospital charges (aMD = $2,144 CI [-2270-+6560]; p = 0.34) than White patients.
CONCLUSION: During the first year of the pandemic, Black patients with obesity and COVID-19 were less likely to die during the incident hospitalization but used greater hospital resources compared to White patients.
PMID:36682964 | PMC:PMC9859723 | DOI:10.1016/j.jnma.2023.01.001