Association between asthma and clinical mortality/morbidity in COVID-19
patients using clinical epidemiologic data from Korean Disease Control
& Prevention
Abstract
Background: The role of asthma as a risk factor for coronavirus 2019
(COVID-2019) morbidity and mortality is inconclusive and not fully
understood. The primary objective was to evaluate the association
between asthma history and mortality of COVID-19, and the secondary
objective was to analyze the risk of COVID-19-related outcomes among
patients with asthma compared to those without. Methods: Using clinical
epidemiologic data from Korean Disease Control & Prevention, the risk
for COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality were compared in patients
with asthma and those without asthma among the participants who were
confirmed to have COVID-19. A Cox proportional hazards regression model
was used for mortality, and a linear regression model was used for
morbidity scores. Results: The hazard ratio for death of patients with
asthma versus those without was 2.48 (95% confidence interval (CI)
1.21-5.08, P=0.013) and 2.20 (95% CI 1.02-4.76, P=0.045) after full
adjustment. The comorbidity of asthma was associated with an increase in
the maximal morbidity score of COVID-19 compared to no asthma (estimated
value of morbidity score (EV) = 0.44, 95% CI 0.16-0.73, P=0.003).
Conclusion: Asthma is associated with an increased risk of mortality and
morbidity in the Korean nationwide COVID-19 registry.