The impact of COVID-19 on asthma patients: current knowledge and future perspective

Abstract

The pandemic of CoronaVirus-19 (COVID-19) is an alarming situation worldwide as it poses a considerable threat to the healthcare system. Various study results suggested the effect of COVID-19 on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including asthma. The present study aims to review, describe and assess the impact of COVID-19 on asthma patients. The results of the current review suggest a non-significant impact of asthma on COVID-19 outcomes. However, the impact of COVID-19 on asthmatics is complex that may vary according to the clinical severity, patient age, or genetics in different populations. Hence it is needed to conduct studies with a large number of cohorts in different populations that may provide us with conclusive results. The use of corticosteroids is not recommended, but some studies suggested that by monitoring certain factors corticosteroids can be used for COVID-19 patients suffering from asthma. The future care of asthmatic patients in COVID-19 should include self-management, remote interventions, and social distancing.