Smoking and the risk of COVID-19 infection in the UK Biobank Prospective Study

Several studies suggest a lower prevalence of smoking than expected among adults with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). We conducted logistic regression analyses of the UK Biobank prospective study of 0.5 million adults followed for an average of 11 years. Compared to women, men were more likely to be tested and to test positive. In sex-stratified analyses, current smokers had higher adjusted Odds Ratios (OR) for being tested (male OR 1.60, 95%CI 1.32-1.95 and female OR 1.50, 1.21-.1.86). Current smokers were more slightly more likely than never smokers to test positive for COVID-19. Further examination of smoking as a risk factor for COVID-19 is required. These must take into account reverse causality, where smokers quit to avoid disease as well as prior diseases.