The prevalence and contributing risk factors of coronavirus disease 2019 infection in patients with metabolic syndrome

Background Components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) was reported to contribute to severe and worse outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hereby, we evaluated the association of MetS and its components with susceptibility to COVID-19. Methods Here, 1000 subjects with MetS were recruited that were diagnosed via the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criterion. Real-time PCR was exerted to detect SARS-CoV-2 in the nasopharyngeal swabs. Results Among the MetS patients, 206 (20.6%) cases were detected to have COVID-19. Smoking (OR = 5.04, 95%CI = 3.53–7.21, P < 0.0001) and CVD (OR = 1.62, 95%CI = 1.09–2.40, P = 0.015) were associated with increased chance of COVID-19 infection in the MetS patients. BMI was significantly higher ( P = 0.0001) in MetS cases with COVID-19 than those without COVID-19. Obesity was associated with increased susceptibility to COVID-19 in MetS patients (OR = 2.00, 95%CI = 1.47–2.74, P < 0.0001). Total cholesterol, TG, LDL were significantly higher in the MetS cases with COVID-19 than those without COVID-19. Dyslipidemia was associated with increased chance of COVID-19 (OR = 1.50, 95%CI = 1.10–2.05, P = 0.0104). FBS level was significantly higher in the MetS cases with COVID-19. T2DM was associated with increased risk of COVID-19 in MetS patients (OR = 1.43, 95%CI = 1.01-2.00, P = 0.0384). Hypertension was associated with increased chance of COVID-19 in the MetS patients (OR = 1.44, 95%CI = 1.05–1.98, P = 0.0234). Conclusions MetS and its components, like obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular complications were associated with increased chance of COVID-19 infection development and probably with aggravated symptoms in such patients.