Evaluation of Smoking and Asymptomatic COVID-19 Disease in Health Professionals

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to assess smoking status and COVID-19 clinical severity in health professionals of a pandemic health center. Methods: A retrospective study design based on data reports of a tertiary hospital between March 2020 and June 2020 was realized. A comparison between the clinical disease severity and smoking status was analyzed by the SPSS 22.0 software statistic program at a significance level of p <0.05 value. Results: 150 participants (age 31.19±8.92 years; 48% female) were evaluated for the COVID disease clinical severity between the smokers (10.6%; 16/150) and non-smokers. The presence of asymptomatic (carriers) clinical disease (24%; 36/150) was found to be statistically significant in favor of smokers (8/16) versus non-smokers (28/134). Nicotine dependence level and Fagerstrom score had no clinical difference. Also, the occupation was significant for disease severity. Smokers among permanent workers with COVID versus doctors and nurses had a higher percentage in belong to the asymptomatic clinic (26/36) despite the higher rate of smoking (11/16). Conclusion: It was emphasized that higher rates of asymptomatic disease among smokers than that of symptomatic disease. Our study might contribute to epidemic control efforts that would help to explain the asymptomatic clinic and the different rates between smokers and non-smokers. Keywords: COVID-19, medical staff, nicotine dependence, smoking