Outcomes of COVID-19: Disparities by ethnicity

Infect Genet Evol. 2021 Jan:87:104639. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104639. Epub 2020 Nov 24.

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the role of ethnicity in COVID-19 outcome disparities in a cohort in Kuwait.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 405 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Kuwait. Outcomes such as symptoms severity and mortality were considered. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to report the odds ratios (OR) for ICU admission and dying from COVID-19.

Results: The cohort included 290 Arabs and 115 South Asians. South Asians recorded significantly higher COVID-19 death rates compared to Arabs (33% vs. 7.6%, P value<0.001). When compared to Arabs, South Asians also had higher odds of being admitted to the ICU (OR = 6.28, 95% CI: 3.34-11.80, p < 0.001). South Asian patients showed 7.62 (95% CI: 3.62-16.02, p < 0.001) times the odds of dying from COVID-19.

Conclusion: COVID-19 patients with South Asians ethnicity in Kuwait are more likely to have worse prognosis and outcome when compared to patients with Arab ethnicity. This suggest a possible role for ethnicity in COVID-19 outcome disparities and this role is likely to be multifactorial.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / ethnology*
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Ethnicity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kuwait / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • SARS-CoV-2 / isolation & purification
  • Severity of Illness Index