RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Current smoking and COVID-19 risk: results from a population symptom app in over 2.4 million people
JF Thorax
JO Thorax
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Thoracic Society
SP 714
OP 722
DO 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-216422
VO 76
IS 7
A1 Hopkinson, Nicholas S
A1 Rossi, Niccolo
A1 El-Sayed_Moustafa, Julia
A1 Laverty, Anthony A
A1 Quint, Jennifer K
A1 Freidin, Maxim
A1 Visconti, Alessia
A1 Murray, Ben
A1 Modat, Marc
A1 Ourselin, Sebastien
A1 Small, Kerrin
A1 Davies, Richard
A1 Wolf, Jonathan
A1 Spector, Tim D
A1 Steves, Claire J
A1 Falchi, Mario
YR 2021
UL http://thorax.bmj.com/content/76/7/714.abstract
AB Background The association between current tobacco smoking, the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 and the severity of illness is an important information gap.Methods UK users of the Zoe COVID-19 Symptom Study app provided baseline data including demographics, anthropometrics, smoking status and medical conditions, and were asked to log their condition daily. Participants who reported that they did not feel physically normal were then asked by the app to complete a series of questions, including 14 potential COVID-19 symptoms and about hospital attendance. The main study outcome was the development of ‘classic’ symptoms of COVID-19 during the pandemic defined as fever, new persistent cough and breathlessness and their association with current smoking. The number of concurrent COVID-19 symptoms was used as a proxy for severity and the pattern of association between symptoms was also compared between smokers and non-smokers.Results Between 24 March 2020 and 23 April 2020, data were available on 2 401 982 participants, mean (SD) age 43.6 (15.1) years, 63.3% female, overall smoking prevalence 11.0%. 834 437 (35%) participants reported being unwell and entered one or more symptoms. Current smokers were more likely to report symptoms suggesting a diagnosis of COVID-19; classic symptoms adjusted OR (95% CI) 1.14 (1.10 to 1.18); >5 symptoms 1.29 (1.26 to 1.31); >10 symptoms 1.50 (1.42 to 1.58). The pattern of association between reported symptoms did not vary between smokers and non-smokers.Interpretation These data are consistent with people who smoke being at an increased risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19.Data may be obtained from a third party and are not publicly available. Anonymised research data will be shared with third parties via the centre for Health Data Research UK (HDRUK.ac.uk). Data updates can be found on https://COVID.joinzoe.com.