After Covid, respiratory tract infections are more frequent in people with risk factors such as allergic diseases, asthma or COPD, who when infected have heavier relapses than the underlying diseases, even with significant resurgences. These are the first results of an observational study presented today on the occasion of the 82nd Fimmg-Metis National Congress in Villasimius, Cagliari. The research, which will last another year, is carried out by the collaboration between the Italian Federation of General Practitioners, the Italian Society of Allergology, Asthma and Clinical Immunology, the Maugeri Scientific Clinical Institutes and the Gemelli Polyclinic Foundation. The study is promoted by the Cnr and coordinated by Sergio Bonini.
For the first year of the investigation, 1,001 patients were recruited, of which 666 had risk factors such as allergic diseases, asthma or COPD and 335 without. The volunteers were monitored throughout the year for the onset of upper and lower respiratory tract infections such as colds, laryngitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. “Although the research is still ongoing, our data confirm that respiratory infections are predominantly more frequent in subjects with risk factors of which they also cause significant resurgences. While awaiting the definitive results, we can underline the importance of activating particular surveillance precisely in these patients, resulting in a significant workload for general medicine”, explains Walter Marrocco, Fimmg scientific director and coordinator of the research project for the federation.
With the exception of this target, however, the scientific literature highlights a decrease in infections. “Recently – continues Marrocco – numerous evidence has been accumulated indicating that the Covid pandemic has produced a significant decrease in the incidence of respiratory tract infections not only due to prevention measures such as the use of masks, but also due to the persistent changes in life after the pandemic (reduction in travel, working from home, social behaviors, vaccinations)”, he concludes.
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