Coronavirus: Study finds smoking increases risk of death from COVID

Coronavirus has affected millions of people in the world. The difference lies in the fact that some people have stronger immunity to fight off the infection, whereas others are too vulnerable and succumb to the attack of the COVID-19 virus. If you smoke or vape, you're likely to be one of the latter.

It's well-known that smoking and vaping damage your lungs. This makes people more susceptible to COVID-19 infection. A new study has found that smokers and vapers are more likely to have a severe case of COVID-19 or even die of the disease. It’s another indication to quit or reduce smoking to protect yourself from COVID.

The researchers from the AHA Tobacco Regulation Center and the University of Louisville, in Kentucky, looked at data from the American Heart Association COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease registry. This included more than 4,000 people over age 18, who were hospitalized with COVID-19 between January 2020 and March 2021. The findings of the study were published in scientific journal PLOS One.

People in the study were classified as smokers if they reported current use of traditional cigarettes or e-cigarettes. The study did not evaluate if there was any difference in risk level between those who vape and those who smoke.

Some limitations of the study included lack of complete smoking history of the participants and information on how many cigarettes or other tobacco products they used per day and for how many years.

Researchers found that smoking or vaping were linked to more COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations, regardless of their age, sex, race/ethnicity or medical history. Although, these other factors can further put certain subgroups of smokers at a much higher risk.

Researchers revealed that the risk estimates were a bit surprising and even "higher than we thought it would be." They found that people who reported use of tobacco products prior to hospitalization were 39% more likely to be put on mechanical ventilation than non-smokers. Further, they were 45% more likely to die, compared to the non-smokers.

The findings shed light on the fact that it is best to quit smoking. These are also important for health care providers to focus on smokers infected with COVID-19 as they are more likely to be infected with severe disease and turn onto ventilators.

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The researchers also found that the patient’s age could have a role in increasing risk of death from COVID-19. Smokers between ages 18 and 59 were more likely to die from COVID than those who are of age 60 and older. This was surprising as COVID has a high propensity to affect the elderly. The researchers think that this could be due to the fact that the basal death rates in that age group were lower, so any risk factors are more likely to be pronounced than in the people who are over 60 years old.

The researchers also found that white smokers had a higher risk of COVID death, compared to Black and Hispanic patients – racial/ethnic groups that have been disproportionately affected by COVID and its complications. Data showed that Hispanic patients were more likely to be put on a ventilator. Smokers with underlying health conditions are also at a higher risk of death from COVID-19. These include obesity, diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease.

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E-cigarette users fall in the high-risk bracket of those most vulnerable to serious illness from COVID-19. This is because vaping directly damages your lungs. E-cigarettes contain harmful chemicals like propylene glycol, glycerol, and flavorings, which have the ability to go deep into your lungs and cause damage. Many e-cigarette products also contain massive amounts of nicotine which can negatively affect your immune and cardiovascular systems. Studies have found that exposing lung cells to e-cigarette vapor decreases the effectiveness of immune cells to fight off pathogens. This can help coronavirus to severely affect your health.