Comorbidities increase the severity of COVID-19: an analysis and epidemiological study conducted in Algeria

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the importance of pre-existing conditions, or comorbidities, as major predictors of disease severity and mortality worldwide. In this context, the major goal of this study was to examine the impact of common comorbidities on the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients in Sétif, Algeria, as well as to evaluate the local epidemiological risk profile. We conducted a thorough analysis of 12,932 COVID-19 participants in the Sétif community, focusing on the prevalence and impact of many illnesses, most notably diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and hypertension. We also looked at geographical inequalities in comorbidity prevalence to help influence local patient care methods. Our data revealed a strong link between these comorbidities and poor COVID-19 outcomes. Patients with heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes had a considerably greater incidence of severe COVID-19, with computed odds ratios (ORs) of 1.50, 1.34, and 2.89, respectively, indicating that diabetes was the best predictor of severity in this cohort. This investigation demonstrated that the presence of comorbidities considerably exacerbated the severity and mortality rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings highlight the importance of establishing thorough, personalised techniques and more effective diagnostic and treatment approaches for COVID-19 patients that explicitly account for the varied prevalence of underlying health issues.