An Evaluation of Non-Communicable Diseases and Risk Factors Associated with COVID-19 Disease Severity in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: An Observational Retrospective Study

Najwa Abdulwahed Al Bastaki, Mohamud Sheek-Hussein, Ankita Shukla, Najlaa Al-Bluwi, Basema Saddik

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and their correlation with COVID-19 disease severity among patients infected in Dubai. Clinical and demographic data were extracted from hospital records of 34,687 COVID-19 patients who visited or were admitted into Dubai hospitals between 28 January 2020 and 30 September 2020. Prevalence of co-morbidities in COVID-19 patients were assessed. The main risk factors associated with COVID-19 disease severity were also identified using three regression models. All co-morbidities were significantly associated with COVID-19 severity in the bivariate analysis (p-value ≤ 0.05) except for vitamin-D deficiency and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Patients with ischemic heart diseases (AOR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.37, 3.15), pulmonary and other heart diseases (AOR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.36, 3.32) and chronic kidney diseases (AOR: 1.81; 95% CI: 1.01, 3.25) had higher odds of severe COVID-19 symptoms. Suffering from multiple co-morbidities increased the odds of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms substantially in comparison to having only one co-morbidity i.e., (AOR: 1.52; 95% CI 1.76–2.60) to (AOR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.37, 3.97). Identifying these risk factors could assist in the early recognition of high-risk populations and ensure the most appropriate preventive measures and required medical management during the pandemic.

Original languageEnglish
Article number14381
JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume19
Issue number21
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2022

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • comorbidities
  • predictors
  • prevalence
  • severity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pollution
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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