Men have 30 pc higher risk of dying from COVID-19 than women: Study

Men have a 30 per cent higher risk of dying from COVID-19 compared to women of same and health status, according to a new study which analysed link between common patient characteristics and risk of dying from vel coronavirus infection.

Hospitalised COVID-19 patients have a greater risk of dying if y are men or if y are obese or have complications from diabetes or hypertension, study, published in journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, ted.

In research, scientists from University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) in US assessed nearly 67,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in 613 hospitals across country.

y said patients who were obese, had hypertension or poorly mand diabetes had a higher risk of dying compared to those who did t have se conditions.

study ted that COVID-19 patients d 20 to 39 with se conditions had biggest difference in ir risk of dying compared to ir healthier peers.

"Kwledge is power in many ways, so I think understanding which hospitalized COVID-19 patients are at highest risk of mortality can help guide difficult treatment decisions," said study corresponding author Anthony D. Harris.

researchers believe healthcare providers could consider se risks when determining which COVID-19 patients could benefit most from antibody rapies that, if given in first few days of infection, can reduce hospitalisation risk.

According to study, remained strongest predictor of mortality from COVID-19.

It ted that overall, nearly 19 per cent of hospitalised COVID-19 patients died from ir infection with lowest mortality among pediatric patients, which was less than two per cent.

Mortality rates increased with each decade of life with highest mortality, 34 per cent, among those d 80 and older.

"Older patients still have highest risk of dying, but younger patients with obesity or hypertension have highest risk of dying relative to or patients ir without se conditions,” said study lead author Karine E. Goodman.