Table I.
Characteristics of all asthmatics with a positive COVID-19 test
| Characteristics | Total patients with asthma with positive test for COVID-19 (N = 951) | ED presentation for COVID-19 infection (N = 737) |
P value¶ | OR¶ | 95% CI¶ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admitted (N = 581) | Not admitted (N = 156) | |||||
| Age at the time of COVID-19 positive (y), mean (±SD) | 60.5 (±17.07) | 64.91 (±15.4) | 54 (±16.7) | <.001 | 1.04 | 1.02-1.05 |
| Age groups (%) | ||||||
| 18-45 y | 17.5 | 9.8 | 26.3 | <.001 | 0.2 | 0.12-0.34 |
| 46-64 y | 38.5 | 36.8 | 42.9 | .001 | 0.5 | 0.33-0.75 |
| >65 y | 44 | 53.4 | 30.9 | |||
| Male (%) | 31.8 | 35.5 | 25.6 | .01 | 0.58 | 0.38-0.88 |
| Race (%) | ||||||
| Black | 37.6 | 37.5 | 37.8 | .62 | 0.8 | 0.33-1.93 |
| White | 6.5 | 6.9 | 4.5 | |||
| Hispanic | 41.5 | 41.3 | 44.2 | .58 | 0.78 | 0.32-1.88 |
| Asian | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.2 | .49 | 0.62 | 0.15-2.43 |
| Other/unknown | 12.2 | 11.9 | 10.3 | .98 | 1.01 | 0.35-2.84 |
| Smoking status (%)∗ | ||||||
| Current smoker | 8.3 | 7.9 | 9.6 | .56 | 0.82 | 0.42-1.58 |
| Former smoker | 23.9 | 25 | 20 | .77 | 1.07 | 0.66-1.75 |
| Never smoker | 46.4 | 45.6 | 49.4 | |||
| Minimum SpO2 (%) in the first 24 h, mean (±SD) | 92.9 (±7) | 92.4 (±7) | 96 (±10) | <.001 | 0.82 | 0.76-0.89 |
| BMI (kg/m2), mean (±SD)∗ | 31.7 (±8.3) | 31.78 (±9) | 32.35 (±7.6) | .14 | 1.01 | 0.99-1.04 |
| Having BMI ≥30 kg/m2 (%) | 53.8 | 52.8 | 57.5 | .37 | 1.19 | 0.8-1.75 |
| Asthma severity (%)† | ||||||
| Mild intermittent | 14.6 | 12.9 | 17.9 | .76 | 0.92 | 0.55-1.53 |
| Mild persistent | 3.2 | 2.6 | 3.8 | .62 | 0.77 | 0.28-2.13 |
| Moderate persistent | 4.9 | 4.3 | 5.1 | .99 | 1.0 | 0.42-2.37 |
| Severe | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.9 | .48 | 0.58 | 0.13-2.59 |
| Unspecified | 76.1 | 79.3 | 71.2 | |||
| FEV1 (%), mean (±SD)∗ | 79.1 (±60.3) | 79.6 (±68.5) | 77.4 (±22.7) | .89 | 0.9 | 0.9-1.009 |
| Prior AEC (cells/μL), mean (±SD)∗,‡ | 187 (±152) | 174 (±149) | 220 (±200) | .009 | 0.23 | 0.08-0.7 |
| Prior mean AEC ≥500 cells/μL (%) | 4.7 | 3.8 | 8.3 | .04 | 0.68 | 0.47-0.9 |
| Prior mean AEC ≥300 cells/μL (%) | 14.2 | 12.6 | 19.5 | .02 | 0.5 | 0.33-0.91 |
| Prior mean AEC ≥150 cells/μL (%) | 53.1 | 52.1 | 58.1 | .04 | 0.46 | 0.21-0.98 |
| Immunoglobulins level (kU/L), mean (±SD)∗,‡ | ||||||
| IgE | 520.3 (±1472) | 442 (±907) | 472.3 (±1023) | .81 | 1 | 0.99-1.001 |
| IgA | 297.4 (±220.7) | 309.3 (±210) | 290.3 (±299.2) | .84 | 1 | 0.99-1.002 |
| IgG | 1302 (±709) | 1322 (±741.2) | 1308.4 (±468.9) | .81 | 1 | 0.99-1.001 |
| IgM | 132.8 (±189.9) | 162.7 (±235) | 85.2 (±47.6) | .1 | 1.007 | 0.99-1.014 |
| Prior IgE >100 kU/L (%) | 47.8 | 42.9 | 56 | .68 | 1.26 | 0.41-3.91 |
| Vitamin D level (ng/mL), mean (±SD)∗,‡ | 26.9 (±14.5) | 27.9 (±15.6) | 24.6 (±12.1) | .55 | 1.006 | 0.98-1.02 |
| Vitamin D level <20 ng/mL (%) | 40 | 31.5 | 39.8 | .79 | 0.93 | 0.54-1.59 |
| Associated allergic comorbidities (%) | ||||||
| Allergic rhinitis | 23.7 | 21 | 29.5 | .10 | 0.71 | 0.47-1.07 |
| Eczema | 8 | 8.4 | 7.1 | .42 | 1.33 | 0.65-2.70 |
| Urticaria | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.9 | .58 | 1.3 | 0.5-3.35 |
| Food allergy | 8.4 | 7.6 | 10.3 | .22 | 0.67 | 0.35-1.27 |
| Chronic sinusitis | 10.9 | 9.6 | 14.7 | .25 | 0.73 | 0.42-1.25 |
| Nasal polyps | 1.2 | 1 | 1.3 | .79 | 0.79 | 0.15-4.18 |
| Other comorbidities (%) | ||||||
| CHF | 31 | 36.8 | 19.9 | .04 | 1.61 | 1.01-2.56 |
| CKD | 36.5 | 43.5 | 24.4 | .03 | 1.61 | 1.04-2.51 |
| COPD | 19 | 23.9 | 10.3 | .017 | 2.06 | 1.14-3.74 |
| DM | 51.6 | 56.5 | 48.7 | .9 | 1 | 0.68-1.46 |
| HTN | 72.3 | 79.2 | 65.4 | .59 | 1.13 | 0.72-1.76 |
| Metabolic syndrome (BMI ≥30 kg/m2 and HTN and DM) | 21.2 | 27.7 | 26.3 | .84 | 1.04 | 0.68-1.57 |
| Prescription for ICS within the year prior, n (%) | 175 (18.4) | 114 (19.6) | 21 (13.5) | .11 | 1.51 | 0.9-2.56 |
| Strength of ICS, n (%)§ | ||||||
| Low dose | 15 (8.6) | 8 (7) | 1 (4.8) | .66 | 1.64 | 0.17-15.06 |
| Medium dose | 63 (36) | 43 (37.7) | 6 (28.6) | .44 | 1.53 | 0.51-4.53 |
| High dose | 97 (55.4) | 63 (55.3) | 14 (66.7) | .33 | 0.59 | 0.21-1.69 |
| Type of ICS, n (%) | ||||||
| Beclomethasone | 12 (6.9) | 7 (6.1) | 3 (14.3) | .33 | 0.47 | 0.1-2.16 |
| Budesonide | 52 (29.7) | 32 (28.1) | 6 (28.6) | .7 | 1.24 | 0.40-3.85 |
| Ciclesonide | 1 (0.5) | 0 | 0 | |||
| Fluticasone | 93 (53.1) | 64 (56.1) | 9 (42.9) | .53 | 1.36 | 0.5-3.71 |
| Mometasone | 17 (9.7) | 11 (9.6) | 3 (14.3) | .52 | 0.62 | 0.14-2.68 |
| Prescription for oral corticosteroids within the year prior, n (%) | 226 (23.8) | 139 (23.9) | 38 (24.4) | .84 | 1.04 | 0.68-1.6 |
| Prescription for montelukast within the year prior, n (%) | 104 (11) | 66 (11.4) | 14 (9) | .33 | 1.36 | 0.72-2.54 |
| Prescription for antihistamines within the year prior, n (%) | 133 (14) | 85 (14.7) | 29 (18.7) | .61 | 0.88 | 0.54-1.43 |
| On SCIT within the prior 3 y, n (%) | 17 (1.8) | 8 (1.4) | 3 (1.9) | .75 | 0.8 | 0.2-3.22 |
| On biologics within the prior 3 y, n (%)‖ | 8 (0.8) | 6 (1) | 1 (0.6) | .43 | 2.36 | 0.273-20.4 |
Bold values show statistical significance at P < 0.05.
AEC, Absolute eosinophil count; BMI, body mass index; CHF, congestive heart failure; CI, confidence interval; CKD, chronic kidney disease; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; DM, diabetes mellitus; ED, emergency department; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; HTN, hypertension; ICS, inhaled corticosteroids; OR, odds ratio; SCIT, subcutaneous immunotherapy; SD, standard deviation; SpO2, oxygen saturation.
Smoking status available in 456 admitted patients and in 123 nonadmitted patients; pulse oximetry was available in 580 admitted patients and 98 nonadmitted patients; BMI available in all patients; FEV1 available in 96 admitted patients and 33 nonadmitted patients; prior AEC available in 579 admitted patients and in 156 nonadmitted patients; prior IgE in 42 admitted patients and 25 nonadmitted patients; IgA available in 95 admitted patients and in 30 nonadmitted patients; IgG in 70 admitted patients and 21 nonadmitted patients; IgM in 78 admitted patients and 23 nonadmitted patients; and prior vitamin D level available in 333 admitted patients and 83 nonadmitted patients.
ICD-9/10 diagnoses, as gathered through CLG (Clinical Looking Glass).
Mean of prior laboratory results during the past 10 years before the ED visit for COVID-19.
The strength of the daily dose inhaler (50) is based on the last prescription found in the chart within the last year before COVID-19 infection.
Omalizumab, mepolizumab, benralizumab, reslizumab, dupilumab.
Model adjusted for age, race, gender, and smoking status.