ET Online and Agencies
May 19, 2022
Why are people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19?
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Researchers in Sydney have an answer after studying infected airway cells from COPD patients and healthy people.
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They noted that in inflammatory lung condition, COPD causes airway blockage and makes it difficult to breathe.
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They also found that the COPD airway cells had 24-fold greater infection with SARS-CoV-2 than the healthy cells.
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The infected COPD cells had increased levels of two enzymes that SARS-CoV-2 uses to enter into the host cell.
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Key antiviral proteins that protect against infection were largely blunted in the COPD patient airway cells.
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Those cells also had higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, linked to more severe COVID-19 outcomes.
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The researchers hence recommend new drug treatments targeting relevant enzymes and pro-inflammatory responses.
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The finding is critical with millions affected by COPD globally and with Covid likely to be around for a while.
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