Citation

Emami A, Pezeshkian FS, Javanmardi F, Akbari A, Asadi-Pooya AA. Disaster Med. Public Health Prep. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Publisher Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/dmp.2021.137

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19 is associated with a different presenting clinical picture or a more severe course of illness in people with a past history of chemical war injury.

METHODS: This is a multicenter retrospective study in Fars province, Iran, from 22 August to 4 October 2020. People with a past history of chemical war injury and COVID-19 were studied. Two age- and sex-matched control groups, double the size of the patient group each, from the same database of patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized at the same time [i.e., healthy controls and pseudocontrols].

RESULTS: 46 people with a past history of chemical war injury, 92 healthy controls, and 92 pseudocontrols were studied. People with COVID-19 and a past history of chemical war injury had a significantly higher rate of chest pain compared to others. There were no other clinical differences between the groups. Mortality rate was 17.39%, 15.21%, and 27.17% in people with a past history of chemical war injury, the control group, and the pseudocontrol group, respectively.

CONCLUSION: A past history of a chemical war injury does not add to the risk of COVID-19 and does not significantly modify its clinical picture either.

Language: en

Keywords

Risk; Mortality; COVID-19; Chemical; War