New research from the EAVE II team in Scotland has revealed a greater risk for adults with poorly controlled asthma who catch COVID-19.
The research highlights the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations in reducing this risk, along with the importance of maintaining good asthma control.
Greater risk for adults with poorly controlled asthma
The analysis was conducted as part of the EAVE II study, supported by BREATHE, to explore which adults with asthma in Scotland might be at risk of serious complications from COVID-19.
The team found that the risk of a person having any serious complication from COVID-19 increased with the number of times they had been prescribed oral corticosteroids for asthma attacks in the previous two years.
In addition, adults were more likely to have serious complications from COVID-19 if they had a recent history of treatment for asthma attacks. This is compared both to people without asthma, and people without a recent history. Here, a recent history of treatment includes people in the last two years who have either:
- Been admitted to hospital for an asthma attack
- Had two or more courses of oral corticosteroids for asthma.
Vaccinations important
The data confirmed that having two doses of a vaccine greatly increases protection against COVID-19 hospitalisation, for people with and without asthma.
This research supports the importance of people with a recent history of asthma attacks who have needed hospital treatment or two or more courses of oral corticosteroids to receive booster vaccinations.
Our national analysis found that adults are more likely to have serious complications from COVID-19 if they have recently had asthma attacks requiring a hospital admission or two or more recent courses of oral corticosteroids. This research underscores the importance of COVID-19 booster vaccinations for adults with poorly controlled asthma; and of maintaining good asthma control wherever possible, particularly during the pandemic.
Professor Aziz Sheikh
EAVE II Study Lead and Director of BREATHE
Read the paper
This publication is available from The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
Read a summary in Plain English on the EAVE II study website
