Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and COVID-19- A Double Trouble

ABSTRACT

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory and systemic illness that may progress to severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). There is a pressing need to identify clinical predictors of severe COVID-19 which can help in risk stratification and prognostication. The COVID-19 pandemic tends to have more severe clinical presentation in older age group and in chronic diseases;Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of them. COPD is the common cause of high mortality and morbidity worldwide. It is obvious to fear for patients with underlying COPD. Acute episode of exacerbation and COVID-19 pneumonia are the two pivotal differential diagnoses in contemporary era, in patients of COPD presenting with worsening dyspnoea. Mortality rate have been higher among COPD group of patients with the development of hypoxemia. Literature shows that pre-existing COPD worsens the risk of COVID-19 progression and leads to poorer prognosis. Even after recovery from the acute event, proper adherence to maintenance therapy for COPD (inhalational agents) continues to be of paramount importance and remains the standard of care. Because COPD remains a subset that is highly vulnerable for adverse outcomes with COVID-19 infection, preventive therapy should be directed towards-attenuation of contact with droplets, proper hand hygiene and maintenance of adequate nutritional status. The aim of this brief review is to know the burden and impact of COPD on COVID-19 pandemic and challenges in diagnosis and management of COPD patients.