Table 3.
Causal mediation analysis predicting the mediating effect of acute inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 (E) mediated by elevated fasting plasma glucose (M) on severe SARS-CoV-2 and lethality (Y)
| Causal mediation model | Outcome (Y) |
ACME | ADE | Total effect | Proportion mediated |
| Model 1 | Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection | 0.032 (0.014–0.050) |
0.154 (0.09–0.22) |
0.186 (0.126–0.250) |
17.3% (7.5–32.0) |
| SARS-CoV-2 lethality | 1.113 (1.039–1.216) |
1.484 (1.197–1.839) |
1.653 (1.320–2.073) |
40.25% (36.97–44.04) |
|
| Model 2 | Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection | 0.021 (0.005–0.050) |
0.126 (0.057–0.200) |
0.147 (0.080–0.220) |
14.7% (8.05–22.0) |
| SARS-CoV-2 lethality | 1.096 (1.024–1.199) |
1.385 (1.102–1.738) |
1.518 (1.202–1.919) |
41.92% (38.45–46.01) |
|
| Model 3 | Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection | 0.032 (0.003–0.070) |
0.126 (0.027–0.240) |
0.158 (0.061–0.240) |
20.1% (2.74–64.0) |
| SARS-CoV-2 lethality | 1.068 (0.958–1.225) |
1.323 (0.888–1.970) |
1.413 (0.95–2.085) |
43.03% (37.03–50.10) |
|
| Model 4 | Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection | 0.020 (0.001–0.050) |
0.110 (0.033–0.200) |
0.131 (0.052–0.230) |
16.0% (0.3–44.0) |
| SARS-CoV-2 lethality | 1.126 (1.018–1.298) |
1.490 (1.113-1-994) |
1.678 (1.242–2.274) |
40.15% (36.34–45.04) |
Model 1: unadjusted; model 2: adjusted by sex, age, BMI, Charlson index and HbA1c; model 3: subjects without T2DM and adjusted by sex, age, BMI and Charlson index; model 4: subjects with T2DM and adjusted by sex, age, BMI and Charlson index.
ACME, average causal mediation effects; ADE, average direct effects; BMI, body mass index; HbA1c, glycosylated hemoglobin; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus.