Chronic non-communicable diseases and COVID-19: EPICOVID-19 Brazil results
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2021055003673Keywords:
Coronavirus infections, epidemiology, Noncommunicable diseases, Socioeconomic factors, Health surveysAbstract
OBJECTIVE Describing the prevalence of chronic diseases and associated socioeconomic and demographic factors, evaluating the patterns of social distancing and the antibodies prevalence against SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 symptoms in carriers and non-carriers of chronic diseases. METHODS Data from 77,075 individuals aged 20 to 59 from three steps of the EPICOVID-19 Brazil (a nationwide serological survey conducted between May and June, 2021) were assessed. The presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was examined by rapid tests. Self-reported prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, asthma, cancer, chronic kidney disease and heart disease were investigated. The prevalence of mask use, adherence to isolation measures and antibodies were evaluated separately amid carriers and non-carriers of chronic diseases. The prevalence of symptoms was analyzed among carriers and non-carriers of chronic diseases with antibodies. RESULTS The prevalence of at least one chronic disease was 43%, higher in the Southeast region, among white and indigenous individuals, women, less schooled and in lower socioeconomic position. The use of masks when leaving home was similar among carriers and non-carriers of chronic diseases (98%). The proportion of participants who reported adherence to isolation measures was higher amid carriers (15.9%) than non-carriers (24.9%) of chronic diseases. The prevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 was similar amongst carriers and non-carriers (2.4% and 2.3%). The prevalence of cough, dyspnea, palpitations and myalgia was significantly higher among carriers, but the proportion of symptomatic patients was similar between groups. CONCLUSION The prevalence of chronic diseases in Brazil is high and the COVID-19 pandemic affects carriers and non-carriers of chronic diseases similarly. Carriers present more severe forms of COVID-19 and higher prevalence of symptoms. Greater adherence to social distancing measures among chronic patients is disassociated from a lower incidence of COVID-19 in this group.
References
World Health Organization. WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard. Geneva; 2021 [cited 2021 Feb 1]. Available from: https://covid19.who.int/ [ Links ]
Gold MS, Sehayek D, Gabrielli S, Zhang X, McCusker C, Ben-Shoshan M. COVID-19 and comorbidities: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Postgrad Med. 2020;132(8):749-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/00325481.2020.1786964 [ Links ]
Wang Z, Deng H, Ou C, Liang J, Wang Y, Jiang M, et al. Clinical symptoms, comorbidities and complications in severe and non-severe patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis without cases duplication. Medicine (Baltimore}. 2020;99(48):e23327. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000023327 [ Links ]
Jain V, Yuan JM. Predictive symptoms and comorbidities for severe COVID-19 and intensive care unit admission: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Public Health. 2020;65(5):533-46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-020-01390-7 [ Links ]
Kumar A, Arora A, Sharma P, Anikhindi SA, Bansal N, Singla V, et al. Is diabetes mellitus associated with mortality and severity of COVID-19? A meta-analysis. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2020;14(4):535-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2020.04.044 [ Links ]
Ssentongo P, Ssentongo AE, Heilbrunn ES, Ba DM, Chinchilli VM, Ba DM. Association of cardiovascular disease and 10 other pre-existing comorbidities with COVID-19 mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS One. 2020;15(8):e0238215. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238215 [ Links ]
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Trabalho e Rendimento. Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde. 2013: percepção do estado de saúde, estilos de vida e doenças crônicas: Brasil, grandes regiões e unidades da federação. Rio de janeiro: IBGE; 2014. [ Links ]
Ministério da Saúde (BR), Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Departamento de Análise em Saúde e Vigilância de Doenças não Transmissíveis. Vigitel Brasil 2018: vigilância de fatores de risco e proteção para doenças crônicas por inquérito telefônico nas capitais dos 26 estados brasileiros e no Distrito Federal em 2018. Brasília, DF; 2019. [ Links ]
World Health Organization. Noncommunicable diseases country profiles 2018. Geneva: WHO; 2018 [cited 2021 Feb 18]. Available from: https://www.who.int/nmh/publications/ncd-profiles-2018/en/ [ Links ]
Pellanda LC, Ros Wendland EM, McBride AJA, Tovo-Rodrigues L, Ferreira MRA, Dellagostin OA, et al. Sensitivity and specificity of a rapid test for assessment of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in a community-based setting in Brazil. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.05.06.20093476 [ Links ]
Silveira MF, Mesenburg MA, Dellagostin OA, Oliveira NR, Maia MAC, Santos FDS, et al. Time-dependent decay of detectable antibodies against SARS-CoV-2: a comparison of ELISA with two batches of a lateral-flow test [Preprint]. Rochester, NY: SSRN; 2021. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3757411 [ Links ]
Hallal PC, Barros FC, Silveira MF, Barros AJD, Dellagostin OA, Pellanda LC, et al. EPICOVID-19 protocol: repeated serological surveys on SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Brazil. Cienc Saude Coletiva. 2020;25(9):3573-8. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232020259.25532020 [ Links ]
Barros AJD, Victora CG. A nationwide wealth score based on the 2000 Brazilian demographic census. Rev Saude Publica. 2005;39(4):523-9. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0034-89102005000400002 [ Links ]
Malta DC, Gonçalves RPF, Machado IE, Freitas MIF, Azeredo C, Szwarcwald CL. Prevalence of arterial hypertension according to different diagnostic criteria National Health Survey. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2018;21 Supl 1:e180021. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-549720180021.supl.1 [ Links ]
Malta DC, Bernal RTI, Iser BPM, Szwarcwald CL, Duncan BB, Schmidt MI. Factors associated with self-reported diabetes according to the 2013 National Health Survey. Rev Saude Publica. 2017;51 Supl 1:12s. https://doi.org/doi:10.1590/S1518-8787.2017051000011 [ Links ]
Menezes AMB, Wehrmeister FC, Horta B, Szwarcwald CL, Vieira ML, Malta DC. Prevalence of asthma medical diagnosis among Brazilian adults: National Health Survey, 2013. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2015;18 Supl 2:204-13. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-5497201500060018 [ Links ]
Oliveira MM, Malta DC, Guauche H, Moura L, Silva GA. Estimated number of people diagnosed with cancer in Brazil: data from the National Health Survey, 2013. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2015;18 Supl 2:146-57. https://doi.org/doi:10.1590/1980-5497201500060013 [ Links ]
Aguiar LK, Prado RR, Gazzinelli A, Malta DC. Factors associated with chronic kidney disease: epidemiological survey of the National Health Survey. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2020;23:e200044. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-549720200044 [ Links ]
Gonçalves RPF, Haikal DS, Freitas MIF, Machado IE, Malta DC. Self-reported medical diagnosis of heart disease and associated risk factors: National Health Survey. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2019;22 Supl 2:E190016. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-549720190016.supl.2 [ Links ]
Barros AJD, Victora CG, Menezes AMB, Horta BL, Hartwig F, Victora G, et al. Social distancing patterns in nine municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: the Epicovid19/RS study. Rev Saude Publica. 2020;54:75. https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2020054002810 [ Links ]
Chu DK, Akl EA, Duda S, Solo K, Yaacoub S, Schünemann HJ; COVID-19 Systematic Urgent Review Group Effort (SURGE) study authors. Physical distancing, face masks, and eye protection to prevent person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2020;395(10242):1973-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31142-9 [ Links ]
Wang Z, Ma W, Zheng X, Wu G, Zhang R. Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2. J Infec. 2020;81(1):179-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2020.03.040 [ Links ]
Liu T, Gong D, Xiao J, Hu J, He G, Rong Z, et al. Cluster infections play important roles in the rapid evolution of COVID-19 transmission: a systematic review. Int J Infect Dis. 2020;99:374-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.07.073 [ Links ]
Huang C, Huang L, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Gu X, et al. 6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital: a cohort study. Lancet. 2021;397(10270):220-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32656-8 [ Links ]
Malta DC, Duncan BB, Barros MBA, Katikireddi SV, Souza FM, Silva AG, et al. Fiscal austerity measures hamper noncommunicable disease control goals in Brazil. Cienc Saude Coletiva. 2018;23(10):3115-22. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-812320182310.25222018 [ Links ]
The Lancet. COVID-19 in Brazil: “So what?”. Lancet. 2020;395(10235):1461. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31095-3 [ Links ]
Hallal PC. SOS Brazil: science under attack. Lancet. 2021;397(10272):373-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00141-0 [ Links ]
Ministério da Saúde (BR). Plano Nacional de Imunização contra COVID-19. Brasília, DF; 2020. [ Links ]
Global Change Data Lab. Our World in Data: Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations. Oxford (UK); 2021 [cited 2021 Apr 6]. Available from: https://ourworldindata,org/covid-vaccinations [ Links ]
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Marilia Arndt Mesenburg, Pedro Curi Hallal, Ana Maria Baptista Menezes, Aluísio J D Barros, Bernardo Lessa Horta, Fernando Celso de Barros, Fernando Pires Hartwig, Nadège Jacques, Mariangela Freitas da Silveira
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
