Journal Article

Obesity, malnutrition, and trace element deficiency in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic: An overview

De Francesco, Antonella, Fedele, Debora, Riso, Sergio, Collo, Alessandro

2021

Overview

The world is currently facing the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic which places great pressure on health care systems and workers, often presents with severe clinical features, and sometimes requires admission into intensive care units. Derangements in nutritional status, both for obesity and malnutrition, are relevant for the clinical outcome in acute illness. Systemic inflammation, immune system impairment, sarcopenia, and preexisting associated conditions, such as respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases related to obesity, could act as crucial factors linking nutritional status and the course and outcome of COVID-19. Nevertheless, vitamins and trace elements play an essential role in modulating immune response and inflammatory status. Overall, evaluation of the patient's nutritional status is not negligible for its implications on susceptibility, course, severity, and responsiveness to therapies, in order to perform a tailored nutritional intervention as an integral part of the treatment of patients with COVID-19. The aim of this study was to review the current data on the relevance of nutritional status, including trace elements and vitamin status, in influencing the course and outcome of the disease 3 mo after the World Health Organization's declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic. •Derangements in nutritional status can influence the course of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).•Obesity may worsen the outcome of COVID-19, requiring the most intensive care.•Vitamins and trace elements have a crucial role in immunomodulation.

• Publisher: Elsevier Inc,Elsevier Limited
• Subject: Cardiovascular Diseases - complications / Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology / Coronaviridae / Coronaviruses / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - complications / COVID-19 - epidemiology / COVID-19 - immunology / COVID-19 infection / Health care / health services / Hospitals / Humans / Immune response / Immune system / Inflammation / Inflammation - complications / Intensive care units / Malnutrition / Malnutrition - complications / Medical personnel / Metabolic disorders / Mortality / nutritional intervention / Nutritional Status / Obesity / Obesity - complications / pandemic / Pandemics / Patients / Respiratory Tract Diseases - etiology / Respiratory Tract Diseases - immunology / Respiratory Tract Diseases - physiopathology / Review / Sarcopenia / Sarcopenia - complications / SARS-CoV-2 - physiology / trace element deficiencies / Trace elements / Trace elements (nutrients) / Trace Elements - deficiency / Viral diseases / Virus Replication / vitamin status / Vitamins / World Health Organization