Effects of Environmental Factors on Severity and Mortality of COVID-19
Open Access
- 20 January 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Frontiers Media SA in Frontiers in Medicine
- Vol. 7, 607786
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2020.607786
Abstract
Background: Most respiratory viruses show pronounced seasonality, but for SARS-CoV-2, this still needs to be documented. Methods: We examined the disease progression of COVID-19 in 6,914 patients admitted to hospitals in Europe and China. In addition, we evaluated progress of disease symptoms in 37,187 individuals reporting symptoms into the COVID Symptom Study application. Findings: Meta-analysis of the mortality risk in seven European hospitals estimated odds ratios per 1-day increase in the admission date to be 0.981 (0.973–0.988, p < 0.001) and per increase in ambient temperature of 1°C to be 0.854 (0.773–0.944, p = 0.007). Statistically significant decreases of comparable magnitude in median hospital stay, probability of transfer to the intensive care unit, and need for mechanical ventilation were also observed in most, but not all hospitals. The analysis of individually reported symptoms of 37,187 individuals in the UK also showed the decrease in symptom duration and disease severity with time. Interpretation: Severity of COVID-19 in Europe decreased significantly between March and May and the seasonality of COVID-19 is the most likely explanation.This publication has 55 references indexed in Scilit:
- Update of the scientific evidence for specifying lower limit relative humidity levels for comfort, health, and indoor environmental quality in occupied spaces (RP-1630)Science and Technology for the Built Environment, 2016
- Influenza virus damages the alveolar barrier by disrupting epithelial cell tight junctionsEuropean Respiratory Journal, 2016
- Roles of Humidity and Temperature in Shaping Influenza SeasonalityJournal of Virology, 2014
- Mortality due to pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza in England: a comparison of the first and second wavesEpidemiology and Infection, 2011
- Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental United StatesPLoS Biology, 2010
- Effects of Heated Humidification and Topical Steroids on Compliance, Nasal Symptoms, and Quality of Life in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Using Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure2009
- Absolute humidity modulates influenza survival, transmission, and seasonalityProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2009
- Variability, Heritability and Environmental Determinants of Human Plasma N-GlycomeJournal of Proteome Research, 2008
- Nasal mucociliary transport in healthy subjects is slower when breathing dry airEuropean Respiratory Journal, 1988
- Humidification of the Air PassagesActa Oto-Laryngologica, 1952