Relationship between smoking and the COVID-۱۹ infection outcome amonghospitalized patients

Background: Cigarette smoking, as one of the risk factors for Covid-۱۹ infection, causes smokersto experience more respiratory complications than non-smokers. On the other hand, the smokerroutine behaviors performs when he smokes and sends smoke goes out include the repeatedmovements of transferring cigarettes from his hand to his face and mouth, which can increaseinfection and virus transmission. This issue is more important considering the high prevalence ofsmoking in different parts of the world. Considering this issue and the importance of the role ofcigarette smoking in the health of the society, in this study, we investigated the associationbetween cigarette smoking and the outcomes of covid-۱۹ in southern Iran by using the recordedinformation of hospitalized COVID-۱۹ patients.Methods: This multi-center descriptive analytical study used the data of patients with covid-۱۹during the first ۱۶ months of this disease in Hormozgan province from February ۲۰۲۰ to May۲۰۲۱. In this study, the relationship between the outcomes of the Covid-۱۹ disease wasinvestigated based on cigarette smoking history, demographic characteristics and epidemiologicalcharacteristics, underlying diseases, outcomes and intensive care during the hospitalization period.Registration of patients' information was based on the information registered in the nationalsystem of MCMC (Medical Care Monitoring Center) and the data was extracted from this systembased on manual review. The cigarette smoking status of patients was separately analyzed basedon their cares during the hospitalization period in ۴ grades. Statistical analysis was executed usingSAS version ۹.۱.Results: The present study was on ۳۵۴۸ people aged ۲۰-۹۰ years that ۲۰۵۷ were men and ۱۴۹۱were women. The range of length of stay in hospital was ۱-۶۸ and average was ۶ days. Thefrequency distribution of invasive mechanical ventilation and death increased in old age, and thedeath rate was significantly higher than other age groups, especially in people aged ۸۰ years andolder. (۲۵.۷% of men and ۱۱.۹% of women). Also, the risk of severe disease leading to aggressivemechanical ventilation and death was higher in men than in women. In both male and female exsmokers, the risk of invasive mechanical ventilation and death was increased. The risk ofdeveloping invasive ventilatory disease and death in the presence of certain diseases such ascongestive heart failure, chronic lung diseases, liver diseases, diabetes, solid cancers, leukemia,increased significantly.Conclusions: The present study showed that being a former cigarette smoker can be effective incontracting the severe type of covid-۱۹ disease or even death. Also, being older and male canincrease the mentioned risk. Having a previous history of underlying diseases can also cause agreater need for care in the case of Covid-۱۹ during hospitalization