In a retrospective study of over 100 patients, a team from Massachusetts General Hospital and led by Katherine Bunnell found that levels of visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) were a better indicator of adverse outcomes due to Covid-19 than body mass index (BMI). The study was published July 9, 2021, in the International Journal of Obesity.

The team took advantage of CT scans of the abdomen or chest typically administered to patients admitted to the hospital with Covid-19. Assessment of body composition could be carried out with no additional radiation or cost. Of the patients studied “50 patients … were admitted to the ICU or deceased over a median time of 1 day [IQR 1, 6] from hospital admission. Higher VAT/SAT ratio (HR of 1.30; 95% CI 1.04–1.62, p = 0.022) and higher IMAT CSA (HR of 1.44; 95% CI 1.10–1.89, p = 0.008) were associated with a reduced time to ICU admission or death in adjusted models.”

The team concluded that “VAT/SAT and IMAT are predictors of adverse outcome in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, independent of other established prognostic factors. This suggests that body composition measures may serve as novel biomarkers of outcome in patients with COVID-19.”

Sources
Bunnell, K.M., Thaweethai, T., Buckless, C. et al. Body composition predictors of outcome in patients with COVID-19. Int J Obes (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00907-1 Accessed July 26, 2021.

“Can body composition metrics foretell COVID-19 patient outcomes?” By Erik L. Ridley, AuntMinnie.com staff writer. Available at: https://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=adv&pag=dis&ItemID=132904 Accessed July 26, 2021.