The underlying algorithms behind Everist Health’s Vascular Age Calculator are derived principally from the Framingham Heart Study (10yr risk) with additional data sets found in global scientific research papers. It is of note that there is a high degree of overlap between these risk factors and those predictive of COVID-19 outcomes. This is the genesis of Everist Health’s work with the COVIDAge Risk Calculator. Data from organizations such as the CDC along with reported research studies on COVID-19 have been used to derive COVID Age figures and COVID Risk factor percentages. This underlying data is consistently updated as more studies become available to ensure the COVIDAge Risk Calculator evolves and is as accurate as possible.

We originally based our tool on the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (early release) from Mar 18 and Mar 31, 2020 where numbers for Hospitalization, ICU admission and Mortality are measured against the individual underlying risk factors which you see in our tool. We have since adjusted the derived odds ratios slightly as newer studies have warranted. See our literature references here.

Everist Health endeavors to factor in as many individual data points as possible in relation to COVID-19 risk and are constantly assessing new and emerging research in order to do so.

Although men appear to be at a higher risk for severe complications from COVID-19 infection than women, the reasons for this gender difference remain unclear and, therefore, the COVIDAge Risk Calculator’s % risks for hospitalization, ICU admission, and death are currently based on combined data from men and women.

When more definitive information becomes available that allows separation of the biological from the social behavioral reasons for this difference, the COVIDAge interpretation guidelines will be adjusted accordingly.

For more information on gender and COVID-19, including a list of references, click here.

There are several underlying health conditions that may put an individual more at risk for severe complications.

• • • Chronic kidney disease – regardless of dialysis status.
    • Cardiovascular disease – coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, or cardiomyopathy.
    • Immunocompromised condition – cancer chemotherapy, prolonged use of corticosteroids or other immune weakening medications, immune deficiencies, or poorly controlled HIV/AIDS.
    • Chronic lung disease – moderate/severe asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema.

For more information on underlying health conditions, including a list of references, click here.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a rough measure of body fat, by looking at the ratio of weight to height. Despite its limitations for certain groups, BMI is used extensively by governmental agencies including the NIH and CDC in the US. High BMI or Obesity is associated strongly with COVID-19 complications. You can use the Body Weight Scale.

For more information on BMI and COVID-19, including a list of references click here.

Waist circumference is another way to estimate your potential disease risk. Excessive abdominal fat may be serious because it places you at greater risk for developing obesity-related conditions, such as Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease¹.

To correctly measure waist circumference:

• • • Hold tape snug against bare skin or over thin shirt.
    • Take measurement at the narrowest waist level, or if this is not apparent, at the midpoint between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone (iliac crest).
    • If you are unsure if this measurement was taken at the narrowest level, take several measurements at different levels and take the lowest measurement. Usually it is about an inch above the belly button.

Click here to view the CDC’s guidelines for self-assessment.

For more information on waist circumference and COVID-19, including a list of references, click here.

Smoking strongly contributes to cardiovascular disease, which increases the risk for COVID infection complications.

For more information on smoking and COVID-19 including a list of references, click here.

Your Systolic Blood Pressure is the higher number in a blood pressure reading. It is the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats, as opposed to your diastolic blood pressure, which is your arterial pressure between beats.  Hypertension, usually defined as persistent Blood Pressure above 130/80 mm/HG, is a strong risk factor for COVID-19 complications. Inexpensive blood pressure monitors are available here.

For more information on blood pressure and COVID-19, including a list of references, click here.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a key role in calcium metabolism, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduction of inflammation. Serum Vit D [25(OH)D] insufficiency (20 to <30 ng/ml; 50 to <75 nmol/L) and deficiency (<20 ng/ml; <50 nmol/L) have been strongly and directly linked to poor outcomes from COVID-19 infection, likely consequent to associated endothelial dysfunction and the lack of an optimal immune response to the virus. Whereas 80% of Vit D in the body is obtained through sunlight-initiated biosynthesis in the skin, about 20% can be obtained through diet, mostly from fish and dairy products.

While optimizing Vit D blood levels (≥30 to 50 ng/ml; ≥75 to 125 nmol/L) by supplementation and/or diet is likely advantageous for reducing one’s risk for complications from COVID-19 infection, there is no known anti-viral benefit for maintaining Vit D blood levels above this level.

For more information on Vitamin D and COVID-19, including a list of references, click here.

The AngioDefender is a non-invasive test that measures the health of your endothelium in under 8-minutes. The endothelium is the interior lining of all blood vessels in the body that plays an important role in regulating blood flow throughout the body.

The AngioDefender is CE Mark approved to measure %FMD of the brachial artery as a non-invasive measure of endothelial function. *AngioDefender is not FDA approved for this measure.

For more information, visit the AngioDefender website.

Vascular endothelium appears to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19.  The SARS-CoV-2 virus enters cells through the ACE2 receptor pathway, which is prevalent on endothelial cell surfaces.  Early evidence points to endothelial dysfunction as a potential indicator for poor outcomes with COVID-19.

For more information on the AngioDefender score and COVID-19, including a list of references, click here.

We have partnered with Profile by Sanford to provide AngioDefender testing as part of their personalized weight loss program.

Profile was created by Sanford Health, one of the largest and most innovative integrated health care systems in the US. A diversely experienced team of researchers, physicians and geneticists has come together to assemble a comprehensive, evidence-based weight loss program that focuses on nutrition, activity and personalized health coaching designed to help members lose weight and improve their overall health.

For more information, visit Profile to inquire about getting an AngioDefender test.

An A1c test determines your average blood glucose level over the last 3 months by measuring the amount of glycolated hemoglobin in your blood. Glycolated hemoglobin is hemoglobin that has been exposed to glucose, so higher percentages mean higher average glucose levels. A healthy A1C is below 5.7, prediabetes is defined by values between 5.7-6.5, and diabetes is indicated by values above 6.5.

Diabetes is a major risk factor for COVID-19 complications. You can screen yourself at home with tests like these.

For more information on diabetes and COVID-19 including a list of references, click here.

High TG (triglycerides) and low HDL-C (high density lipoprotein-cholesterol) blood levels are among the major risk factors for ‘metabolic syndrome’, a multifactorial disease arising from insulin resistance accompanying abnormal fat deposition and function. Not only does it increase one’s risk for cardiovascular disease but also for complications from COVID-19 infection by promoting systemic inflammation and immune dysfunction. An ideal TG/HDL-C ratio is 2.5 or less when the values for TG and HDL-C are expressed in mg/dL units and less than 1.1 when expressed in mmol/L units.

For more information on lipids and COVID-19, including a list of references, click here.

Diabetes and Hypertension are important risk factors. Diabetes is assessed by the magnitude of HbA1c and Hypertension is assessed by the magnitude of systolic blood pressure (SBP), both of which we incorporate into our tool directly.

Despite recent press coverage that suggested that pregnant women fare worse than non-pregnant women when infected with COVID-19, the study upon which this conclusion was made had severe limitations and, therefore, has been largely discount-ed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). According to ACOG’s most recent Practice Advisory (July 1, 2020), there is no definitive evidence that pregnant women are at significantly increased risk for complications from COVID-19 infection. Recent investigations have also documented that neonatal COVID-19 infection is uncommon, almost never symptomatic, and the rate of infection is no greater when the baby is born naturally, breastfed, or allowed contact with the mother.