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© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between occupational exposure to asbestos and the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: We evaluated patients who survived admission in our centre for COVID-19 pneumonia. Demographic, analytical, and clinical variables were collected during admission. After discharge, a previously validated occupational exposure to asbestos questionnaire was administered. Spirometry, CO diffusion test, the 6-min walk test, and high-resolution chest CT were performed. Patients who required respiratory support (oxygen, CPAP, or NIV) were considered severe. Results: In total, 293 patients (mean age 54 + 13 years) were included. Occupational exposure to asbestos was detected in 67 (24%). Patients with occupational exposure to asbestos had a higher frequency of COVID-19 pneumonia requiring respiratory support (n = 52, 77.6%) than their unexposed peers (n = 139, 61.5%) (p = 0.015). Asbestos exposure was associated with COVID-19 severity in the univariate but not in the multivariate analysis. No differences were found regarding follow-up variables including spirometry and the DLCO diffusion, the 6-min walk test, and CT alterations. Conclusions: In hospitalised patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, those with occupational exposure to asbestos more frequently needed respiratory support. However, an independent association between asbestos exposure and COVID-19 severity could not be confirmed.

Details

Title
Asbestos Exposure and Severity of COVID-19
Author
Granados, Galo 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Sáez-López, María 2 ; Aljama, Cristina 2 ; Sampol, Júlia 3 ; María-Jesús Cruz 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ferrer, Jaume 1 ; Breen, Michael S

 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Passeig Vall d’Hebron, 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Department of Respiratory Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Barcelona, Spain 
 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Passeig Vall d’Hebron, 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain 
 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Passeig Vall d’Hebron, 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Respiratory Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Barcelona, Spain 
First page
16305
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
MDPI AG
ISSN
1661-7827
e-ISSN
1660-4601
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2748540775
Copyright
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.