The retrospective consortium study evaluated 72,478 adult patients with COVID-19 diagnosed from March 1, 2020, to August 21, 2020. The average age of patients was 43 years, 54% were women, and 66% Hispanic. De patients, asthma was only 10.7%, COPD was only 8.8%, 4.2% were diagnosed for asthma and COPD, and 76.3% had no condition.
Overall, 9.6% (n = 6989) were admitted to the hospital during the study period. In addition, hospitalization was required due to severe COVID-19 for 17.8% of patients with COPD and asthma, 15.1% for patients with COPD alone, 9.2% for patients with asthma alone, and 8.6% of patients did not have COPD or asthma. Compared with this latter group of patients, participants had asthma (odds ratio) [OR], 1.06; 95% CI, 0.97–1.16), COPD (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06–1.26), or both (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.09–1.37) had an increased risk in hospitalization.
Of the asthma-only patients, 44.8% had used a corticosteroid or bronchodilator in the past 12 months versus 31.4% of patients with COPD alone and 66.8% of patients with asthma and COPD.
Use of corticosteroids was slightly higher in hospital risk (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.84–1.21). However, the risks were greater for patients using bronchodilators (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.95–1.29) or steroids and bronchodilators (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.21–1.53).
In addition, obesity and ages 34 to 64 years have been identified as high-risk subgroups for patients with asthma-only, COPD-only, and asthma and COPD. The 34-to-64 age group was the only age group to show increased hospital risk for patients with COPD alone (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05–1.32), asthma only (OR, 1.17 ; 95% CI, 1.03 -1.32), and COPD and asthma (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.14-1.55).
The ORs for hospitalization in obese patients were 1.15 (95% CI, 1.03–1.29) for asthma-only patients, 1.21 (95% CI, 1.09–1.36) for COPD-only patients , and 1.24 (95% CI, 1.07 –1.43) for patients with COPD and asthma.
These results show that comorbidity, such as asthma and COPD, may not be the only factor affecting COVID-19 vulnerability and that medications and other risk factors may play larger roles.
Information
Huang BZ, Chen Z, Sidell MA, et al. Associations of asthma, COPD and medication history with COVID-19 risk. Presented at: Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Academy Annual Meeting 2021; February 26 – March 1, 2021; Accessed 4 March 2021. https://bit.ly/3kTvYNC