OBESITY AND ANTIVIRAL OUTCOMES: IS NIRMATRELVIR–RITONAVIR EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING HOSPITALIZATION IN OBESE PATIENTS WITH COVID-19?

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis entitled "Obesity and Antiviral Outcomes: Is Nirmatrelvir–Ritonavir Effective in Reducing Hospitalization in Obese Patients with COVID-19?"
We compared nirmatrelvir–ritonavir with placebo to assess its impact on hospitalization rates in obese patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Three studies met the inclusion criteria, all comparing nirmatrelvir–ritonavir in outpatients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 and obesity (body mass index >25 kg/m²) versus placebo.

The primary endpoint was the hospitalization rate. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Our analysis showed that nirmatrelvir–ritonavir did not significantly reduce hospitalization rates in obese patients with COVID-19 (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.57–1.25; p=0.39). Given the high global prevalence of obesity and its role as a risk factor for severe COVID-19, further research into tailored therapeutic strategies for this vulnerable population is needed. Limitations include reduced data availability for obese patients, inclusion of only three observational studies, and potential heterogeneity.
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