Clinical Outcomes of COVID-19 Infection among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Findings from the Philippine CORONA Study

Background: The global pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) resulted in many deaths from fulminant respiratory failure. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There has been great concern regarding the impact of COPD on the COVID-19 illness. Methods: Data from the Philippine CORONA study were analyzed to determine the association of COPD and COVID-19 in terms of mortality, disease severity, respiratory failure, mechanical ventilation, and lengths of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital. Results: A total of 10,881 patients were included in this study, and 156 (1.4%) patients had been diagnosed with COPD. A majority of COVID-19 patients with COPD had other existing comorbidities: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic cardiac disease, and chronic kidney disease. COPD patients were 2.0x more likely to present with severe to critical COVID-19 disease. COVID-19 patients with COPD in our study have a 1.7x increased mortality, 1.6x increased respiratory failure, and 2.0x increased risk for ICU admission. Smokers with COVID-19 were 1.8x more likely to present with more severe disease and have a 1.9x increased mortality. Conclusion: Our study supports the growing evidence that COPD among COVID-19 patients is a risk factor for higher mortality, more severe form of COVID-19, higher ICU admission, and higher respiratory failure needing ventilatory support.