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

Smoking doubles the risk of developing a serious case of coronavirus and hospitalization, a new study claims.

The study provides the first conclusive evidence, based on real-life data, that smoking puts people at higher risk of serious illness than non-smokers.

It found that smokers are 14 percent more likely to have the three main symptoms of the coronavirus: fever, persistent cough, and shortness of breath.

But smokers are also at a 50 percent greater risk of developing more than 10 symptoms at once – including a cough, fever, loss of smell, loss of appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, confusion, or muscle pain – than those who don’t smoke.

The development of numerous symptoms is often an indicator of a more serious infection, experts believe.

The data was collected from millions of Britons via the King’s College London app ZOE.

The findings, published in the BMJ journal Thorax, run counter to previous studies, many of which have shown that smokers are less likely to contract the coronavirus or become seriously ill.

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

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

Dr. Mario Falchi, principal investigator and senior lecturer at King’s College London said: “Some reports suggest a protective effect of smoking on COVID-19 risk.

However, studies in this area can be easily influenced by biases in sampling, participation and response. Our results clearly show that smokers are at an increased risk of a wider range of COVID-19 symptoms than non-smokers. ‘

The latest study from KCL provides real information on patients living with Covid, looking at both self-reported and laboratory-confirmed cases.

Data from the app 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 percent.

This is slightly lower than the UK average of 14 percent of the population who smoke, but it was representative, the researchers say.

Participants submitted various data about themselves, any symptoms that also emerged, and any positive laboratory results.

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

Claire Steves, principal investigator, physician adviser and reader at King’s College London, said: “ As COVID-19 rates continue to rise and the NHS continues to reach capacity, it is important to do all we can to mitigate its effects. and find ways to reduce it. hospital admissions.

“Our analysis shows that smoking increases the likelihood of people going to hospital, so quitting smoking is one of the things we can do to reduce the health consequences of the disease.”

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

Artist David Hockney first put forward the idea that smokers are less at risk because the nicotine-powered habit hardens smokers’ immune systems and bodies, leading to heavier respiratory systems.

The 82-year-old noted in April 2020 that Greece had one of the lowest pandemic mortality rates in Europe, despite an above-average number of smokers. Greece has experienced fewer than 5,000 deaths and about 133,000 cases so far.

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

Later, studies emerged that agreed with Mr. Hockney: Finding smokers may indeed be at a reduced risk, and experts struggled to explain how this could be, calling it ‘weird’ and ‘bizarre’.

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

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

And the team also found that smokers who did become infected no longer needed intensive care, were not hooked up to a ventilator, or died.

Academics at University College London looked at 28 papers and found that the proportion of smokers among hospital patients was ‘lower than expected’.

But other studies have been published suggesting smokers may be at increased risk, but scientists have struggled to provide real world data to support this.

A recent study by UCLA academics used lab-grown stem cells and found that smoking infects three times as many cells with coronavirus.

The study found that smoking stops the action of important molecules of the immune system called interferons.

Interferons are messengers that tell infected cells to make proteins to attack the invading pathogen, and are essential for warding off the initial infection.

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

The study found that smoking stops this pathway from working properly, causing a tripling of the number of human cells infected by the virus.

“When you think of the airways as the high walls that protect a castle, smoking cigarettes is like making holes in these walls,” said Dr. Brigitte Gomperts of UCLA in November.

‘Smoking reduces the natural defenses and that ensures that the virus can penetrate.’