Smoking and clinical outcomes of patients hospitalized for COVID-19

Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ustanoviti utjecaj pušenja na klinički ishod hospitaliziranih pacijenata oboljelih od COVID-19 bolesti. Retrospektivno smo analizirali podatke registra bolesnika hospitaliziranih zbog COVID-19 u Kliničkoj bolnici Dubrava u Zagrebu u periodu od 3/2020 do 6/2021. Prema pušačkom statusu, podijelili smo ispitanike u 3 skupine: aktivni pušači, bivši pušači i nepušači. Odredili smo nepovoljne kliničke ishode tijekom hospitalizacije: smrt, potreba za liječenjem mehaničkom ventilacijom, potreba za liječenjem u jedinci intenzivnog liječenja, venske tromboembolije, arterijske tromboze, veliko krvarenje i bakterijemija. Aktivno pušenje u odnosu na nepušenje bilo je statistički značajno povezano s mlađom dobi, muškim spolom, češćim prisustvom hiperlipoproteinemije, debljine, KOPB-a, koronarne bolesti i periferne arterijske bolesti (P0.05). Rezultati ovog istraživanja pokazuju da pušači oboljeli od COVID-19 imaju veći rizik za nastanak komplikacija (arterijska tromboza i bakterijemija) u odnosu na nepušače te su češće opterećeni specifičnim komorbiditetima koji doprinose nepovoljnom kliničkom ishodu. Ovo istraživanje potvrđuje da je pušenje negativan čimbenik u razvoju i ishodu kliničke slike COVID-19 infekcije.The aim of this study was to determine the influence of smoking on clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. The data was retrospectively analyzed from the register of patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 at the Dubrava Clinical Hospital in Zagreb in the period from March 2020 to June 2021. According to smoking status, the patients were divided into 3 groups: active smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. Negative clinical outcomes during hospitalization were determined: death, mechanical ventilation, treatment in the intensive care unit, venous thromboembolism, arterial thrombosis, major hemorrhage and bacteremia. Active smoking compared to non-smoking was statistically significantly associated with younger age, male sex, more frequent presence of hyperlipoproteinemia, obesity, COPD, coronary disease and peripheral arterial disease (P0.05). The results of this study show that smokers suffering from COVID-19 have a higher risk of developing complications (arterial thrombosis and bacteremia) compared to non-smokers. They are also often burdened with specific comorbidities that contribute to an unfavorable clinical outcome. This research suggests that smoking is a negative prognostic factor in COVID-19 patients