Medical records data and in silico analysis provide new insights about COVID-19 in smokers

Abstract

Background: Two independent sets of medical records, comprising 441 and 100 patients (50 smokers and 50 non-smokers), respectively, clinically diagnosed with COVID-19, suggested reduced death among smokers. Method: Medical records from patients were examined to record the biochemical parameters available and to perform comparisons between smokers and non-smokers. Bioinformatics was used to predict epitopes of tobacco mosaic virus coat protein (TMV-CP) to produce antibodies to SARSCoV- 2. Results: Data recorded in 441 medical records indicated no deaths among smoking patients. Death was three times higher in non-smokers than smokers in the second group, comprising 50 smokers and 50 non-smokers. However, biochemical parameters were similar among the groups. Bioinformatics analysis predicted the presence of B-cell epitopes in TMV-CP, suggesting that the production of anti-TMV-CP antibodies in smokers could occur, who, although developing severe forms of COVID-19, had greater survival in the evaluated groups than did non-smokers. Conclusion: This prospective study suggested that smokers suffer severe effects of SARS-Cov-2 infection, associated with inadequate inflammatory reaction. On the other hand, the deaths of patients in the two groups examined correlated negatively with smokers. Bioinformatics analysis permitted the exploit an exciting hypothesis that anti-TMV-CP antibodies, potentially present in smokers, might act as an immune agent against SARS-CoV-2 at earlier stages of infection. Although these data are sketchy and should be taken carefully, due to the limited set of data, they are helpful for future studies to assess COVID-19 in smokers.