COVID-19 Mortality and Obstructive Airway Diseases

Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who have comorbid asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) have a significantly lower survival probability than patients without these comorbidities, according to research presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) 2022 Annual Meeting, held in Phoenix, Arizona, February 25 to 28.

Seeking to determine the effects of obstructive airway diseases on COVID-19 outcomes, researchers in Korea conducted a study involving 5625 patients hospitalized for COVID-19, who were divided into asthma, COPD, ACO, and control groups. Patient data was analyzed to determine probability of survival as well as factors affecting COVID-19 mortality, disease severity, and oxygen demand.

The investigators found that mortality rates among patients in the asthma, COPD, and ACO groups were 2.3, 4.8, and 5.5 times higher, respectively, than among patients in the control group. The investigators further noted that patients in the asthma, COPD, and ACO groups were more likely to require oxygen and mechanical ventilation.

The researchers noted that “further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of chronic obstructive airway disease, especially, ACO, on COVID-19 mortality.”

Reference

Shin E, Jin J, Park SY, et al. Impact of asthma, COPD, and ACO on the prognosis of COVID-19. Presented at: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) 2022 Annual Meeting; February 25–28, 2022; Phoenix, AZ. Abstract 177.