WHY SMOKERS ARE MORE RELUCTANT TO GET INFECTED WITH COVID-19?
In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic we are experiencing, there are several groups that have higher problems and severity – one group is a smoker.
Decreased immune system, including responses to disease infections. [1] Not only infections caused by COVID-19, when smokers increase infections with other viruses such as adenovirus, rhinovirus, syncytial respiratory virus (RSV), influenza, or other coronavirus viruses such as SARS and MERS. [2] However, it cannot be denied, during this pandemic smokers are expected to have a larger study because it has an increased severity in COVER-19.
Research by Zhang et al. (n = 140 patients)
Critical patients (n = 58 people)
3.4% active smokers
6.9% of former smokers
Stable patients (n = 82 people)
0% active smokers
3.7% former smokers
Research by Guan et al. (n = 1099 patients)
ICU / ventilator / died patient:
25.5% of active smokers
7.6% former smokers
Critical patients (n = 173 people)
16.9% active smokers
5.2% of former smokers
Stable patients (n = 926 people)
11.8% active smokers
1.3% of former smokers
[16:45, 3/27/2020] Fullerton Lei: Research by Liu et al. (n = 78 people)
27.3% of all patients in critical status were active smokers
CONCLUSION
Smokers who need an increase of 1.4 times more severe about 2.4 times more need treatment in the ICU, use a ventilator to death
How can smokers become more vulnerable?
The virus uses many alternative receptors (cells that will bind to other cells) to enter and stay in the human lung. In the study of Guoshuai et al. [3], showing 3 main receptors which will bind to COVID-19, one of which is ACE2. Previous studies showed that smokers’ lungs found more ACE2 receptors compared to nonsmokers. More than heavier smokers. With more smokers’ receptors in the lungs, there is more room for the virus to enter and develop.
Reference:
[1] Varvadas, Constantine and Katerina, Nikitara. (2020). COVID-19 and smoking: Systematic review of evidence. Tobacco Diseases, 2-3. doi.org/10.18332/tid/119324
[2] Lee, Bruce Y. (2020, March 21). How Does Coronavirus COVID-19 Kill? What Happens When You Are Infected. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/
[3] Cai, G .; Cui, X .; Zhu, X .; Zhou, J. A Clue about the Risk of COVID-19: Population Differences in Gene Expression of Three SARS-CoV Receptors. Preprints 2020, 2020020408 (doi: 10.20944 / preprints202002.0408.v1).
(Article by the WELLNESS TEAM – Fullerton Health Indonesia)
