Quality of Life and Mental Health in Biomass-Associated Copd and Tobacco-Associated Copd with COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction: having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and having COVID-19 results in greater aggression to the lungs and should be reflected in respiratory symptoms, quality of life and mental health. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on dyspnea, quality of life and mental health in tobacco-associated COPD (COPD-TE) and biomass-associated COPD (COPD-BE). Methods: cross-sectional study in COPD-TE and COPD-BE with telephone survey during the pandemic, on sociodemographic data, quality of life (COPD Assessment Test, CAT), mental health (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), comorbidities and COVID-19. We compared the quality of life and dyspnea of patients before the pandemic and during the pandemic, in patients who had COVID-19 and those who did not. Results: 18 patients with COPD-BE and 55 COPD-TE were evaluated. There was no difference between COPD-BE and COPD-TE in the frequency of COVID-19. COVID-19 did not affect dyspnea and lung function, but did affect quality of life assessed by CAT compared to the previous year and among those without COVID-19. Although there were no differences found in anxiety and depression between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19, a large percentage of patients had clinically significant levels of depression. Comorbidities were not a determinant for severity. Conclusions: COVID-19 affected both biomass and smoking COPD equally, with impairment on quality of life (CAT) in those with COVID-19.