For the study, the researchers examined the health records of 12,971 individuals who were tested for Covid-19 within
Of this group, 1,604 were Covid-positive and 354 required hospitalisation.
The team analysed the records for association between specific clinical conditions, including kidney, cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic conditions, and Covid-19 hospitalisation.
Overall, chronic kidney disease was most strongly associated with hospitalisation, and
"Previous studies have identified a variety of health conditions associated with an increased risk of COVID-related hospitalisation, including diabetes, heart failure, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease," said Alex Chang, Geisinger nephrologist and co-director of Geisinger's Kidney Health Research Institute.
"What is significant here is the magnitude of the kidney disease-related risk."
How underlying medical conditions increase the risk of Covid-19-related complications is not yet fully clear.
However, the study suggests that the physiological stress caused by an excessive inflammatory response to Covid-19 infection could destabilise organs already weakened by chronic disease, or that organ injury from the virus could act as a "second-hit" to these organs.
"Consistent with this hypothesis, kidney and heart are among the tissues with the highest expression of ACE2, a SARS-CoV-2 receptor," the team wrote.
SEE ALSO:
SBI’s mobile banking app is down for the third time in 30 days — digital services take a hit for the 25th time this year
RBI governor believes inflation is likely to remain elevated this winter
Airtel records 3.8 million new subscribers in September – more than two times of Reliance Jio’s additions