In early 2020, relatively little was known about the novel coronavirus. Over the past year, however, scientists have conducted numerous studies and put in hundreds of hours of research to better understand this virus that has caused a global pandemic. Doctors have also submitted and studied patient information to see how the virus affects people differently.
One topic that has been studied over the past year is which conditions and other factors put you at higher risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19. Researchers and doctors have identified conditions including chronic kidney disease, heart conditions, chronic lung diseases, diabetes, cancer, liver disease, being overweight or obese, HIV infection, and more as increasing your risk of becoming severely ill. Those who become severely ill from COVID-19 may require hospitalization, intensive care, a ventilator to help them breathe, or they may even die.
Because of the severe outcomes associated with these risk factors, it is important to know whether you have any of the conditions that may be linked to severe illness from COVID. You might not have any of the conditions listed above, but you may have chronic allergies. Do chronic allergies affect COVID outcomes? That is exactly the question a recent study aimed to answer.
The purpose of the study was to determine the possible COVID outcomes for patients with chronic allergies and asthma. The lead author of the study, allergist Dylan Timberlake, MD, ACAAI (American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology) member, said, “We examined the charts of 275 patients admitted to the hospital who tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus for any history of allergic disease. Over the two-month period when we examined the charts, we found the severity of disease didn’t seem to differ between COVID-19 patients with allergies, versus COVID-19 patients without allergies.”
When determining the severity of the disease in each patient, researchers considered factors including ICU admission, length of hospital stay, supplemental oxygen requirement, and intubation rate. Allergic diseases considered include food allergy, eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis. Allergist Mitchell Grayson, MD, ACAAI member and co-author of the study, said, “We didn’t find significant differences in the numbers of interventions needed for those with allergies versus those without when it came to COVID-19. For example, with regard to ICU admission, 43% of those with allergic disease were admitted versus 45% without. And 79% of those with allergy needed supplemental oxygen versus 74% of those without.”
These numbers demonstrate that there is little apparent difference in the severity of COVID-19 among patients with allergic diseases and those without. The study also found that patients with allergies were more likely to have COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), which is a known risk factor for severe disease with COVID-19. 39% of patients with allergies had COPD, compared to 17% among those without allergies. When researchers controlled for the presence of COPD, they found a statistical trend that suggested possible protection among patients with pre-existing chronic allergies.
So, if you have chronic allergies, you likely have no need to fear that severe illness from COVID-19 is more likely due to your allergies. To learn more, we welcome you to contact us today at West River ENT & Allergy. We are eager to assist you.
