Features of COVID-19 in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, and cardiovascular comorbidity

Aim. The aim of the study was to identify the features of a new coronavirus infection in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial asthma (BA), and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Materials and Methods. The retrospective study included 58 patients with novel coronavirus infection, which were divided into four groups: group 1 comprised 12 patients with COPD and CVD; group 2 comprised 15 patients with BA and CVD; and group 3 comprised 31 patients with CVD only. All patients underwent a clinical examination, complete blood count, biochemical blood examination, coagulation testing, serum ferritin test, and multi-slice computed tomography.

Results. The severity of dyspnea was greater in patients with COPD/CVD compared with BA/CVD, and in patients without bronchopulmonary pathology. The frequency of desaturation was the lowest in BA/CVD group compared with COPD/CVD and COPD/BA/CVD. A lower level of saturation was observed in COPD/CVD group in comparison with BA/CVD. The extent of lung damage also prevailed in group with COPD/CVD compared with patients without bronchopulmonary pathology. Patients with CVD only demonstrated the lowest level of leukocytes in contrast with all other study groups. However, the platelet count prevailed in the CVD group compared with the COPD/CVD group. Serum ferritin in patients with COPD/CVD was higher than in the AD/CVD group.

Conclusion. Patients with COPD had more severe coronavirus infection due to severity of dyspnea, low saturation indicators, high values of ferritin, and greater severity of lung damage according to computed tomography. Patients with asthma were prone to a less severe course of coronavirus infection due to less dyspnea, rare episodes of desaturation, high saturation rates, and low ferritin values.

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