The impact of smoking on severity and outcome in patients with COVID-19
infection in Mosul city
Abstract
Background: The novel coronavirus ( SARS CoV 19) is responsible for the
pandemic infection after starting in 2019 in Wuhan city /China, several
small studies were done since then to determine the effects of smoking
on the severity, outcome & mortality of patients with COVID-19 but the
results were inconclusive, this study aims to assess the impact of
active smoking on severity and outcome in patients with COVID-19
infection in Mosul city/Iraq. Methods: A prospective cohort study was
conducted on 160 patients ( 80 patients were active smokers & 80
non-smoker patients) who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 infection by
using real-time PCR, the study was done at Ibn-Sina teaching hospital in
Mosul city/Iraq from May 2020 until December 2020. A detailed history
was taken from the patients, full clinical examination & blood tests
were done. The following parameters were recorded & compared between
the 2 groups: severity of symptoms, inflammatory markers, D dimer, liver
function test (LFT), oxygen use, hospitalization & outcome. Results:
the symptoms of COVID-19 were more severe in the non smokers group
(34.4%) compared to the smokers (25%) & it was statistically
significant (p-value = 0.016), the inflammatory markers were also higher
in the non-smokers (31.9%) compared to the smokers (20.0%) ( p-value =
0.011) , D dimer & LFT were also higher in the non-smoker group (
p-value = 0.01 & 0.008 respectively). There was no statistical
difference regarding oxygen use, hospitalization, ICU admission,
mortality, or post-recovery complications. Conclusion: severe
symptomatic COVID-19 infection was more common in the non-smoker group,
the inflammatory markers, D-dimer & LFT were higher in the non-smokers
compared to the smokers. No statistical difference was found regarding
O2 use, hospitalization, ICU admission, mortality & residual
complications.