Preliminary U.S. data links underlying health conditions to higher COVID-19 severity risk

A preliminary observational report analyzed data from patients with COVID-19 in the United States between February 12 and March 28, 2020. It examined the association between the presence of select underlying health conditions—such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic lung disease—and known risk factors like smoking, and the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. The comparator group was people without these conditions.

The main finding was that people with these conditions or risk factors appear to be at higher risk for severe disease, defined as hospitalizations and admission to intensive care units. The report did not provide specific effect sizes, absolute numbers, p-values, or confidence intervals for this association. Safety and tolerability data were not reported.

A key limitation is that this is preliminary data. The authors note the findings represent an association, not causation, and caution against overstating causality, effect size, or generalizability beyond the U.S. and the specific time period studied. The funding sources and potential conflicts of interest were not reported. Given the preliminary and observational nature of the evidence, the direct practice relevance for clinical decision-making is currently limited and awaits more robust data.