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The association between COVID-19 and atopy in Baghdad, Iraq, 2022
1Specialist in Community Medicine, Iraqi Ministry of Health, Baghdad, Iraq. drziyad2005@gmail.com.
Insights
Atopy, characterized by elevated IgE and eosinophils, was not found to be a risk factor for COVID-19 in Iraqi patients. This study indicates no significant association between atopic diseases and coronavirus disease 2019.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in individuals with pre-existing conditions.
- Atopic diseases are frequently associated with elevated immunoglobulin E (IgE) and eosinophil levels.
- Understanding potential risk factors for severe COVID-19 is crucial for public health management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between atopic diseases and COVID-19 in a cohort of Iraqi patients.
- To determine if atopy influences the risk or severity of COVID-19 infection.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted in Baghdad, involving 112 patients from Al-Zahraa Allergic Center.
- Data collected included demographic characteristics, total IgE levels, eosinophil counts, and COVID-19 PCR results.
Main Results:
- 32.1% of patients exhibited atopy (high IgE levels), and 11.6% tested positive for COVID-19.
- No significant association was found between IgE levels and COVID-19 status.
- No correlation was observed between atopic patients with COVID-19 and those without, concerning atopy type, age, sex, occupation, education, or living area.
Conclusions:
- Atopy is not identified as a risk factor for developing COVID-19.
- The findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 exposure does not trigger or exacerbate atopic conditions.
Introduction:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has high morbidity and mortality especially in preexisting risk groups. In atopic diseases the IgE and eosinophils are commonly elevated. This study aims to determine the potential association between COVID-19 and atopic diseases in Iraqi patients.
Materials And Methods:
A cross-sectional study done in Baghdad on 112 patients who attended Al-Zahraa Allergic Center. Their demographic characteristics, total IgE, eosinophil counts and PCR result for COVID-19 were determined.
Results:
The means for IgE and eosinophils were 245.7±260.1IU/ml and 444.5±117.1cells/microliter sequentially. Around 32.1% had high IgE level (i.e., atopic) and 11.6% had COVID-19. Among the atopic patients, 33.3%, 30.5% and 36.2% had atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and asthma respectively. More than half (58.3%) of them were male, 55.5% aged <45 years, 36.2% were retired or had no job, 69.5% were graduated from secondary school or more and 88.8% lived in urban areas. There is no significant association in IgE level between those with and without COVID-19, which means that exposure to SARS Cov2 virus could not be a trigger or exacerbation for atopic diseases. Also, there was no association between atopic patients with COVID-19 and those without it regarding type of atopy, age, sex, occupation, education, type of living area.
Conclusions:
Atopy is not a risk factor for COVID-19.
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