Covid-19: Smoking DOUBLES the risk of hospitalization, according to the study

A new study claims that smoking doubles the risk of developing a severe case of coronavirus and needing hospitalization.

Research provides the first conclusive evidence, based on real-world data, that being a smoker poses a higher risk of disease than people who do not smoke.

Smokers were found to be 14% more likely to have the three main symptoms of coronavirus: fever, persistent cough, and shortness of breath.

But smokers are also 50% more likely to develop more than ten symptoms at once (including cough, fever, loss of smell, loss of appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, confusion, or muscle aches). ) than people who do not smoke.

Experts believe that the development of countless symptoms is often an indicator of a more serious infection.

Data was collected from millions of Britons via King’s College London ZOE app.

The findings, published in the journal BMJ Thorax, fly ahead of previous studies, many of which have found that smokers are less likely to catch the coronavirus or become seriously ill.

Scholars have been baffled by the data, as decades of research have shown that smoking tobacco increases the risk of fatal diseases such as lung cancer, stroke and diabetes.

But as the pandemic has progressed, new research has emerged showing that smokers who catch Covid-19 are more likely to see their disease progress rapidly and lead to death.

Dr Mario Falchi, principal investigator and tenured professor at King’s College London, said: “Some reports have suggested a protective effect of smoking on the risk of COVID-19.

However, studies in this area can be easily affected by biases in sampling, participation, and response. Our results clearly show that smokers have a higher risk of experiencing a wider range of COVID-19 symptoms than non-smokers. “

The latest KCL study provides real-world information about patients living with Covid and examined both self-reported and laboratory-confirmed cases.

The app’s data shows that of the 2.4 million participants who downloaded ZOE between March 24 and April 23 last year, 220,135 were smokers, about 11%.

This is slightly below the UK-wide average of 14% of the smoking population, but it was representative, the researchers say.

Participants submitted various data about themselves, the symptoms that arose, and the positive results from the lab.

Self-reported data are less reliable, but at this early stage of the pandemic testing capacity was a fraction of what it is now and was only available in hospitals.

Claire Steves, principal investigator, consultant physician and reader at King’s College London, said: “As COVID-19 rates continue to rise and the NHS moves towards capacity, it is important to do everything possible to reduce their effects. and find ways to reduce hospital admissions.

“Our analysis shows that smoking increases the likelihood of a person attending hospitals, so quitting smoking is one of the things we can do to reduce the health consequences of the disease.”

Early in the pandemic, when little was known about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, researchers instinctively warned that smokers would be at greater risk, as the coronavirus targets the respiratory system. and the known link between smoking and lung cancer, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions directed at that same system.

Artist David Hockney first suggested the idea that smokers might be less at risk because the nicotine-fueled habit hardens smokers ’immune systems and bodies, causing a harder respiratory system.

The 82-year-old noted in April 2020 that Greece had one of the lowest pandemic pivots in Europe, despite having a higher-than-average number of smokers. So far Greece has experienced less than 5,000 deaths and about 133,000 cases.

The UK, on ​​the other hand, has recorded more than 76,000 deaths and the National Statistics Office revealed yesterday that there are currently 1.1 million Britons infected with Covid-19, about one in 50.

Studies later emerged that coincided with Mr. Hockney, where it was found that smokers could have a reduced risk, and experts clarified to explain how this could be, calling it “strange” and “strange.”

Despite confusing evidence, the World Health Organization stated in June that smoking can make people more susceptible to COVID-19.

But a study published earlier this month in Mexico looked at data from nearly 90,000 patients and found that smokers were 23% less likely than non-smokers to be diagnosed with Covid-19.

And the team also found that infected smokers were no longer likely to need intensive care, be connected to a fan, or die.

University College London academics examined 28 papers and found that the proportion of smokers among hospital patients was “lower than expected”.

But other studies have been published suggesting that smokers may be at higher risk, although so far scientists have struggled to provide real-world data to support this.

A recent study by UCLA academics used laboratory-grown stem cells and found that smoking causes triple the number of cells to become infected with coronavirus.

The study showed that smoking prevents key molecules in the immune system, called interferons, from functioning properly.

Interferons are messengers that tell infected cells to make proteins to attack the invading pathogen and are essential to fighting the initial infection.

They also summon the support of the wider immune system and warn uninfected cells to prepare for the virus.

The study found that smoking prevents this pathway from working properly and this causes a triple increase in the number of human cells infected with the virus.

“If you think about the airways, like the high walls that protect a castle, smoking cigarettes is like creating holes in those walls,” Dr. Brigitte Gomperts of UCLA said in November.

“Smoking reduces natural defenses and this allows the virus to set in.”