Demographic risk factors for COVID-19 infection, severity, ICU admission and death: a meta-analysis of 59 studies

ObjectiveWe aimed to describe the associations of age and sex with the risk of COVID-19 in different severity stages ranging from infection to death.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesPubMed and Embase through 4 May 2020.Study selectionWe considered cohort and case–control studies...

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Published in:BMJ open Vol. 11; no. 1; p. e044640
Main Authors: Pijls, Bart G, Jolani, Shahab, Atherley, Anique, Derckx, Raissa T, Dijkstra, Janna I R, Franssen, Gregor H L, Hendriks, Stevie, Richters, Anke, Venemans-Jellema, Annemarie, Zalpuri, Saurabh, Zeegers, Maurice P
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England British Medical Journal Publishing Group 11.01.2021
BMJ Publishing Group LTD
BMJ Publishing Group
Series:Original research
Subjects:
Age
Age Factors
Bias
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
COVID-19 - epidemiology
COVID-19 - mortality
COVID-19 - therapy
Critical Care
Epidemiology
Hospitalization
Humans
Infections
infectious diseases
Intensive care
Meta-analysis
Mortality
Pandemics
Patients
Risk Factors
SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Severity of Illness Index
Sex Factors
Systematic review
China
COVID-19
epidemiology
infectious diseases
ISSN:2044-6055, 2044-6055
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Summary:ObjectiveWe aimed to describe the associations of age and sex with the risk of COVID-19 in different severity stages ranging from infection to death.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesPubMed and Embase through 4 May 2020.Study selectionWe considered cohort and case–control studies that evaluated differences in age and sex on the risk of COVID-19 infection, disease severity, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death.Data extraction and synthesisWe screened and included studies using standardised electronic data extraction forms and we pooled data from published studies and data acquired by contacting authors using random effects meta-analysis. We assessed the risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.ResultsWe screened 11.550 titles and included 59 studies comprising 36.470 patients in the analyses. The methodological quality of the included papers was high (8.2 out of 9). Men had a higher risk for infection with COVID-19 than women (relative risk (RR) 1.08, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.12). When infected, they also had a higher risk for severe COVID-19 disease (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.27), a higher need for intensive care (RR 1.38, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.74) and a higher risk of death (RR 1.50, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.91). The analyses also showed that patients aged 70 years and above have a higher infection risk (RR 1.65, 95% CI 1.50 to 1.81), a higher risk for severe COVID-19 disease (RR 2.05, 95% CI 1.27 to 3.32), a higher need for intensive care (RR 2.70, 95% CI 1.59 to 4.60) and a higher risk of death once infected (RR 3.61, 95% CI 2.70 to 4.84) compared with patients younger than 70 years.ConclusionsMeta-analyses on 59 studies comprising 36.470 patients showed that men and patients aged 70 and above have a higher risk for COVID-19 infection, severe disease, ICU admission and death.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020180085.
Bibliography:Original research
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ISSN:2044-6055
2044-6055
DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044640