The patients were enrolled in the International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infections Consortium (ISARIC) World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK (CCP-UK) study, led by Dr Kenneth Baillie.
ISARIC WHO CCP-UK is a large prospective cohort study of patients in hospital in England, Wales, and Scotland with Covid-19. Reports from the study have been used to inform the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG).
In this rapid prospective investigation of patients mortality was high and independent risk factors were increasing age, male sex, and chronic comorbidity, including chronic kidney disease liver disease and obesity.
Obesity was found to be a major additional risk factor that was not highlighted in observational studies from China.