HDL-cholesterol concentration and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in people over 75 years of age: a cohort with half a million participants from the Community of Madrid

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between HDL-cholesterol and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in over 75-year-olds residing in the Community of Madrid.

Methods: Study of a population-based cohort, composed of all residents in Madrid (Spain) born before January 1, 1945 and alive on December 31, 2019. Demographic, clinical and analytical data were obtained from primary care electronic medical records from January 2015. Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection was defined as a positive RT-PCR or antigen test result. Infection data correspond to the period March 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

Results: Of the 593,342 cohort participants, 501,813 had at least one HDL-cholesterol determination in the past 5 years. Their mean age was 83.4±5.6 years and 62.4% were women. A total of 36,996 (7.4%) had a confirmed SARS-CoV2 infection during 2020. The risk of infection [odds ratio (95% confidence interval)] for SARS-CoV2 according to increasing quintiles of HDL-cholesterol was 1, 0.960 (0.915-1.007), 0.891 (0.848-0.935), 0.865 (0.824-0.909) and 0.833 (0.792-0.876), after adjusting for age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities.

Conclusions: There is an inverse and dose-dependent relationship between HDL-cholesterol concentration and the risk of SARS-CoV2 infection in subjects aged over 75 years of age in the Community of Madrid.

Keywords: Ancianos; COVID-19; Colesterol-HDL; Elderly; HDL-cholesterol; Infección; Infection.