An external exposome-wide association study of COVID-19 mortality in the United States.

ABSTRACT: The risk factors for severe COVID-19 beyond older age and certain underlying health conditions are largely unknown. Recent studies suggested that long-term environmental exposures may be important determinants of severe COVID-19. However, very few environmental factors have been studied, often separately, without considering the totality of the external environment (i.e., the external exposome). We conducted an external exposome-wide association study (ExWAS) using the nationwide county-level COVID-19 mortality data in the contiguous US. A total of 337 variables characterizing the external exposome from 8 data sources were integrated, harmonized, and spatiotemporally linked to each county. A two-phase procedure was used: (1) in Phase 1, a random 50:50 split divided the data into a discover

SUBMITTER: Hu H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7788319 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature