Obesity and COVID-19: A jigsaw puzzle with still missing pieces

Abstract

Apart from posing various mechanical and medical issues compromising general health, obesity is a major factor for respiratory tract infections, due to specific inflammation and immunological compromise. The burden of obesity on morbidity and mortality of SARS-CoV-2 infection/COVID-19 is considerable. Herein, we aimed to search the literature and present to the readers pathophysiologic pathways that may associate obesity and COVID-19. We present potential mechanisms, which might partly explain why patients with obesity are more prone to suffer from respiratory infections in the context of COVID-19. Better understanding of these pathways could eventually guide management strategies and therapies for COVID-19 in the future.