Summary of Conditions with Evidence

(According to the CDC, May 26, 2022)

  1. Higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes is defined as an underlying medical condition or risk factor that has a published meta-analysis or systematic review or complete the CDC systematic review process. The meta-analysis or systematic review demonstrates good or strong evidence, (depending on the quality of the studies in the review or meta-analysis) for an increase in risk for at least one severe COVID-19 outcome.

    • Cancer

    • Cerebrovascular disease

    • Chronic kidney disease*

    • Chronic lung diseases limited to:

      • Interstitial lung disease

      • Pulmonary embolism

      • Pulmonary hypertension

      • Bronchiectasis

      • COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

    • Chronic liver diseases limited to:

      • Cirrhosis

      • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

      • Alcoholic liver disease

      • Autoimmune hepatitis

    • Cystic fibrosis

    • Diabetes mellitus, type 1 and type 2*

    • Disabilities

      • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

      • Cerebral Palsy

      • Congenital Malformations (Birth Defects)

      • Limitations with self-care or activities of daily living

      • Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

      • Learning Disabilities

      • Spinal Cord Injuries

      • (For the list of all conditions that were part of the review, see the module below)

    • Heart conditions (such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies)

    • HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)

    • Mental health disorders limited to:

      • Mood disorders, including depression

      • Schizophrenia spectrum disorders

    • Neurologic conditions limited to dementia

    • Obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2)*

    • Primary Immunodeficiencies

    • Pregnancy and recent pregnancy

    • Physical inactivity

    • Smoking, current and former

    • Solid organ or hematopoietic cell transplantation

    • Tuberculosis

    • Use of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive medications

See List of All Disabilities from CDC’s Systematic Review Process

  1. Suggestive higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes is defined as an underlying medical condition or risk factor that neither has a published meta-analysis or systematic review nor completed the CDC systematic review process. The evidence is supported by mostly cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional studies. (Systematic reviews are available for some conditions for children with underlying conditions.)

    • Children with certain underlying conditions

    • Overweight (BMI ≥25 kg/m2, but <30 kg/m2)

    • Sickle cell disease

    • Substance use disorders

    • Thalassemia

  2. Mixed evidence is defined as an underlying medical condition or risk factor that has a published meta-analysis or systematic review or completing the CDC systematic review process. The meta-analysis or systematic review is inconclusive, either because the aggregated data on the association between an underlying condition and severe COVID-19 outcomes are inconsistent in direction or there are insufficient data (or limited) on the association between an underlying conditions and severe COVID-19 outcomes.

    • Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency

    • Asthma

    • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia

    • Hepatitis B

    • Hepatitis C

    • Hypertension*

Footnote: * indicates underlying conditions for which there is evidence for pregnant and non-pregnant people