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. 2021 Apr 28;7(4):e27091. doi: 10.2196/27091

Table 2.

Clinical features of study participants with known molecular test results by smoking status in Italy, from April 13 to June 2, 2020 (N=6857).

Clinical features Never smoked (n=4334) Former smoker (n=1463) Current smoker (n=1060) P value (current vs never) P value (overall) All participants (N=6857)
All participants, n (%) 4334 (63.2) 1463 (21.3) 1060 (15.5) N/Aa N/A 6857 (100)
Self-reported diseases, n (%)

Lung diseases 340 (7.8) 130 (8.9) 77 (7.3) .53 .29 547 (8.0)

Heart diseases 196 (4.5) 76 (5.2) 26 (2.5) .01 .01 298 (4.4)

Hypertension and/or medications 723 (16.7) 326 (22.3) 143 (13.5) .01 <.001 1192 (17.4)

Oncological diseases 138 (3.2) 67 (4.6) 16 (1.5) .01 .001 221 (3.2)

Liver diseases 39 (0.9) 14 (1.0) 6 (0.6) .28 .52 59 (0.9)

Renal diseases 52 (1.2) 14 (1.0) 10 (0.9) .48 .64 76 (1.1)

Metabolic diseases and/or medications 238 (5.5) 86 (5.9) 47 (4.4) .17 .27 371 (5.4)

Depression or anxiety and/or medications 505 (11.7) 167 (11.4) 122 (11.5) .90 .97 794 (11.6)

Immune system diseases 431 (9.9) 146 (10.0) 88 (8.3) .10 .25 665 (9.7)

Surgical procedures last year 168 (3.9) 82 (5.6) 38 (3.6) .66 .01 288 (4.2)

Transplants 12 (0.3) 6 (0.4) 0 (0) .09 .13 18 (0.3)

Allergies 786 (18.1) 223 (15.2) 163 (15.4) .04 .01 1172 (17.1)

Dependency in daily activities 209 (4.8) 15 (1.0) 9 (0.9) <.001 <.001 233 (3.4)

Flu shot during last autumn 1542 (35.6) 489 (33.4) 273 (25.8) <.001 <.001 2304 (33.6)

Antipneumococcal vaccine in the last 12 months 219 (5.1) 73 (5.0) 37 (3.5) .03 .10 329 (4.8)
Self-reported medications, n (%)

Aspirin 192 (4.4) 131 (9.0) 46 (4.3) .10 <.001 369 (5.4)

Cholesterol treatment drugs 252 (5.8) 161 (11.0) 69 (6.5) .39 <.001 482 (7.0)

Oncological drugs 42 (1.0) 23 (1.6) 6 (0.6) .21 .04 71 (1.0)

Corticosteroids 95 (2.2) 39 (2.7) 24 (2.3) .89 .58 158 (2.3)

Thyroid drugs 369 (8.5) 131 (9.0) 64 (6.0) .01 .02 564 (8.2)

Anti-inflammatory drugs 222 (5.1) 108 (7.4) 101 (9.5) <.001 <.001 431 (6.3)

Supplements or vitamins 928 (21.4) 304 (20.8) 190 (17.9) .01 .04 1422 (20.7)
Self-reported symptoms, n (%)

Fever 1221 (28.2) 491 (33.6) 184 (17.4) <.001 <.001 1896 (27.7)

Headache 1594 (36.8) 570 (39.0) 397 (37.5) .68 .33 2561 (37.4)

Muscle or bone pain 1476 (34.1) 563 (38.5) 340 (32.1) .22 <.001 2379 (34.7)

Olfactory and taste disorders 903 (20.8) 365 (25.0) 180 (17.0) .01 <.001 1448 (21.1)

Shortness of breath 643 (14.8) 264 (18.1) 127 (12.0) .02 <.001 1034 (15.1)

Chest pain 596 (13.8) 224 (15.3) 144 (13.6) .89 .30 964 (14.1)

Heart palpitations 572 (13.2) 185 (12.7) 118 (11.1) .07 .19 875 (12.8)

Gastrointestinal disturbances 1210 (27.9) 441 (30.1) 275 (25.9) .20 .06 1926 (28.1)

Conjunctivitis 527 (12.2) 174 (11.9) 117 (11.0) .31 .60 818 (11.9)

Sore throat or rhinorrhea 1579 (36.4) 558 (38.1) 392 (37.0) .74 .50 2529 (36.9)

Cough 1537 (35.5) 536 (36.6) 294 (27.7) <.001 <.001 2367 (34.5)

Pneumonia 354 (8.2) 170 (11.6) 32 (3.0) <.001 <.001 556 (8.1)

No symptoms 1154 (26.6) 321 (21.9) 308 (29.1) .11 <.001 1783 (26.0)

Hospitalized for COVID-19 319 (7.4) 175 (12.0) 33 (3.1) <.001 <.001 527 (7.7)

Positive NPSb test result 1124 (25.9) 407 (27.8) 160 (15.1) <.001 <.001 1691 (24.7)
Infection severityc, n (%) N/A <.001

No infection 3210 (74.1) 1056 (72.2) 900 (84.9)
5166 (75.3)

Asymptomatic 117 (2.7) 27 (1.9) 12 (1.1)

156 (2.3)

Mild 697 (16.1) 225 (15.4) 127 (12.0)

1049 (15.3)

Severe 310 (7.2) 155 (10.6) 21 (2.0)

486 (7.1)

aN/A: not applicable; P value was not calculated.

bNPS: nasopharyngeal swab.

cNo infection: negative NPS test result; asymptomatic infection: positive NPS test result without COVID-19–like symptoms excluding pneumonia; mild infection: positive NPS test result with at least one COVID-19–like symptom excluding pneumonia; and severe infection: positive NPS test with pneumonia and/or hospitalization for COVID-19