"A Chain Only as Strong as Its Weakest Link": An Up-to-Date Literature Review on the Bidirectional Interaction of Pulmonary Fibrosis and COVID-19.
J Proteome Res
; 19(11): 4327-4338, 2020 11 06.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-744339
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly became a worldwide healthcare emergency affecting millions of people, with poor outcomes for patients with chronic conditions and enormous pressure on healthcare systems. Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) has been cited as a risk factor for a more severe evolution of COVID-19, primarily because its acute exacerbations are already associated with high mortality. We reviewed the available literature on biochemical, pathophysiological, and pharmacological mechanisms of PF and COVID-19 in an attempt to foresee the particular risk of infection and possible evolution of PF patients if infected with SARS-COV-2. We also analyzed the possible role of medication and risk factors (such as smoking) in the disease's evolution and clinical course. We found out that there is a complexity of interactions between coexisting idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis/interstitial lung disease (ILD) and COVID-19 disease. Also, patients recovering from severe COVID-19 disease are at serious risk of developing PF. Smokers seem to have, in theory, a chance for a better outcome if they develop a severe form of COVID-19 but statistically are at much higher risk of dying if they become critically ill.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Pulmonary Fibrosis
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Pandemics
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Reviews
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
J Proteome Res
Journal subject:
Biochemistry
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Acs.jproteome.0c00387
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