Table 1.
Characteristic of Subject with Asthma | No Increased Risk of COVID-19 (or Decreased Risk) | Increased Risk of COVID-19 |
---|---|---|
Age | Children and adolescents | Older subjects |
Asthma phenotype | Type 2–high asthma | Type 2–low asthma |
Airway gene expression | Type 2 cytokines (e.g., IL-13) | IFN-stimulated genes |
Systemic inflammation | Low IL-6 | High IL-6 |
Comorbidities | Allergic sensitization | Obesity, diabetes, or hypertension |
Asthma severity | Mild-to-moderate asthma: GINA steps 1–4 | Severe asthma: GINA step 5 |
Lung function | Normal | Impaired |
Asthma control | Well controlled | Uncontrolled |
Exacerbation frequency | No exacerbations | Frequent exacerbations |
Controller treatment | ICS | OCS: repetitive bursts or OCS maintenance treatment |
Definition of abbreviations: COVID-19 = coronavirus disease; GINA = Global Initiative for Asthma; ICS = inhaled corticosteroids; OCS = oral corticosteroids.