Effect of Smoking on the Progression and Severity of COVID-19 Infection among Adult Males in Sullia Taluk of Dakshina Kannada

Abstract

Context: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) primarily targets pulmonary epithelial cells, causing viral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. It progresses more severely in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Aims: The aim of the study was to assess the effects of smoking on the progression of COVID-19 infection among adult males in Sullia Taluk, Dakshina Kannada. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 230 male subjects, aged 18 years and above diagnosed with COVID-19 from the records of the general hospital, Sullia. Necessary data were collected using a validated questionnaire comprised of three parts, Part A recorded basic demography, Part B recorded details of smoking history, and Part C recorded details of COVID-19 symptomatology. Descriptive measures and Chi-square tests were conducted separately for each variable to determine the association between various determinants of smoking and COVID-19. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The response rate of the study was 68.7%. Among the studied population, 20.3% were smokers. Analysis revealed that loss of taste or smell (73.91%), cough (52.17%), difficulty in breathing (52.17%), persistent pain in the chest (21.73%), and running nose (13.16%) were significantly higher among smokers compared to their nonsmoking counterparts. Conclusions: Results of the study support the hypothesis that smoking has an effect on the progression and severity of COVID-19 infection.