The Impact of COVID-19 on Patients with Asthma

Background An association between the severity of COVID-19 and the presence of certain chronic conditions has been suggested. However, unlike influenza and other viruses, the disease burden in patients with asthma has been less evident. Objective To understand the impact of COVID-19 in patients with asthma. Methods Using big data analytics and artificial intelligence through the SAVANA Manager® clinical platform, we analysed clinical data from patients with asthma from January 1st to May 10th, 2020. Results Out of 71 182 patients with asthma, 1006 (1.41%) suffered from COVID-19. Compared to asthmatic individuals without COVID-19, patients with asthma and COVID-19 were significantly older (55 versus 42 years), predominantly female (66% versus 59%), smoked more frequently, and had higher prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemias, diabetes, and obesity. Allergy-related factors such as rhinitis and eczema were less common in asthmatic patients with COVID-19 (p Conclusion Patients with asthma and COVID-19 were older and at increased risk due to comorbidity-related factors. ICS and biologics are generally safe and may be associated with a protective effect against severe COVID-19 infection.