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| (Yonhap News TV) |
An analysis has shown that if a person who normally smokes gets a novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), their health status may worsen.
In China, a study found that this risk of smokers is 14 times higher than that of non-smokers.
According to the latest issue of’The FEBS Journal’ on the 22nd, a research team at the Graduate School of Public Policy at George Mason University in the United States said that nicotine, a major harmful component of cigarettes, is bound to the body receptor (ACE2) that binds to the Corona 19 virus. It has a direct effect, as well as can cause harmful signaling to lung epithelial cells.
According to the research team’s analysis, smokers infected with COVID-19 may become more dangerous than non-smokers.
The research team explained that according to the studies so far, smoking was associated with a high mortality rate from infectious diseases such as influenza (flu) and respiratory viral infection.
At the same time, it was also believed that the COVID-19 virus could adversely affect the expression of the ACE2 protein, which plays an important mediator role in the cell signaling process. Ultimately, through this process, the cardiovascular, lung, and immune system functions of smokers suffering from COVID-19 may further decrease.
The research team also estimated that prolonged exposure to nicotine from various smoking habits increases viral susceptibility and disease severity to the lungs and other organs. In addition, he pointed out that toxins other than nicotine contained in cigarettes (carbon monoxide, monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, etc.) can worsen the prognosis of patients with Corona 19.
The link between smoking and worsening the prognosis of COVID-19 patients is also confirmed in a paper by a Chinese research team.
In the latest issue of the Chinese Medical Journal, the research team of Dongje Medical University in Wuhan City, China, divided 78 patients being treated with Corona 19 into a worsening group (11) and an improvement group (67). , A study found that people with a history of smoking had a 14.3 times higher risk of worsening Corona 19.
“People who smoked for a long period of time are susceptible to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or cardiovascular disease because of weakened lung resistance,” said Seo Hong-gwan, a professor at the National Cancer Center (Chairman of the Korea Anti-smoking Association). It seems that the concentration on the elderly with back is not irrelevant to this smoking history.”
He advised that if you want to prevent COVID-19 infection, you should quit smoking even now.
Chairman Seo said, “If you have an underlying disease caused by smoking, it is important not only to expect short-term effects from smoking cessation, but in the long term, it will prepare you for another infectious disease,” he said. “In addition, cancer, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, etc. Considering the preventive effect, it is advisable to practice smoking cessation at this opportunity.” ()
