Exploration of severe Covid‐19 associated risk factor in China: Meta‐analysis of current evidence

Aim This meta-analysis aimed to explore potential risk factors for severe Covid-19. Methods We systemically and comprehensively retrieved the eligible study evaluating clinical differences between severe versus non-severe Covid-19. Main effect sizes were demographic characteristics, comorbidities, signs and symptoms, laboratory findings as well as radiological features of chest CT. Results A total of 2,566 Covid-19 people (771 in the severe group and 1,795 in the non-severe group) from 14 studies were eligible for this meta-analysis. It was demonstrated that older age and males were more likely to have severe Covid-19. Patients with underlying comorbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and COPD were significantly more susceptible to severe Covid-19. Patients with dyspnea were more likely to be severely ill. Depressed total lymphocytes were observed in this article. Meanwhile, although reticulation (30.8%), intrathoracic lymph node enlargement (20.5%) and pleural effusions (30.8%) were relatively infrequent, meta-analysis revealed that patients with these presentations in chest CT were associated with increased risk of severe Covid-19. Conclusions There are significant differences in clinical characteristic between the severe and non-severe Covid-19 patients. Many factors are related to the severity of the disease, which can help clinicians to differentiate severe patients from non-severe patients.