Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: AIM: To describe the association between metabolic risk factors and the risk of developing long COVID in Aotearoa New Zealand. METHODS: Individuals aged 16 years and above who had confirmed or probable COVID-19 before December 2021 were eligible for inclusion. Metabolic risk factors were high body mass index (BMI, ≥25kg/m2), high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between metabolic risk factors and long COVID. RESULTS: Of the 990 survey respondents, 21.9% met the definition of long COVID. After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, COVID-19 vaccination and hospitalisation, high BMI was strongly associated with long COVID (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.33-4.17, p=0.003). There was a suggestion of an association between heart disease and long COVID (aOR 4.31; 95% CI 0.80-23.3, p=0.090). No other metabolic factors were associated with long COVID. Among Māori, no associations were found between high BMI and long COVID compared with underweight/normal BMI. CONCLUSION: High BMI as a risk factor adds to accumulating evidence on the aetiology of long COVID.
Source: New Zealand Medical Journal
DOI: 10.26635/6965.6699
Institution: Victoria University of Wellington
Language: English
Subfield: Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4409285926