COVID-19’s impact on adults with asthma

Published: March 29, 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a global impact. Although its spread has decreased, global health communities will continue to face respiratory health problems related to the long-term sequelae of COVID-19. However, little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on adults with asthma in terms of severe exacerbation and mortality risk.

In their study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, Lee and colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis using the Korean National Health Insurance claim-based database. They evaluated the long-term risk of severe exacerbation and mortality in adults with asthma who had recovered from COVID-19. The study included 10,739 adults with asthma who had experienced COVID-19 (COVID-19 group) and matched them with 10,739 adults with asthma who did not have COVID-19 (controls).

The COVID-19 group had a significantly higher rate of severe exacerbation compared to controls (187.3 vs. 119.3/person-years), representing a 1.57-fold increase. Mortality was also significantly higher in the COVID-19 group (128.3 vs. 73.5/person-years, hazard ratio = 1.76). While severe COVID-19 was associated with a 5.12-fold increased risk of severe exacerbation and a 7.31-fold increased risk of death, non-severe COVID-19 was not. The study highlights the need for careful follow-up in adults with asthma after recovery from severe COVID-19.

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice is an official journal of the AAAAI, focusing on practical information for the practicing clinician.

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