Host Factor Interaction Networks Identified by Integrative Bioinformatics Analysis Reveals Therapeutic Implications in COPD Patients With COVID-19

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic poses an imminent threat to humanity, especially for those who have comorbidities. Evidence of COVID-19 and COPD comorbidities is accumulating. However, data revealing the molecular mechanism of COVID-19 and COPD comorbid diseases is limited.Methods: We got COVID-19/COPD -related genes from different databases by restricted screening conditions (top500), respectively, and then supplemented with COVID-19/COPD-associated genes (FDR<0.05, |LogFC|≥1) from clinical sample data sets. By taking the intersection, 42 co-morbid host factors for COVID-19 and COPD were finally obtained. On the basis of shared host factors, we conducted a series of bioinformatics analysis, including protein-protein interaction analysis, gene ontology and pathway enrichment analysis, transcription factor-gene interaction network analysis, gene-microRNA co-regulatory network analysis, tissue-specific enrichment analysis and candidate drug prediction.Results: We revealed the comorbidity mechanism of COVID-19 and COPD from the perspective of host factor interaction, obtained the top ten gene and 3 modules with different biological functions. Furthermore, we have obtained the signaling pathways and concluded that dexamethasone, estradiol, progesterone, and nitric oxide shows effective interventions.Conclusion: This study revealed host factor interaction networks for COVID-19 and COPD, which could confirm the potential drugs for treating the comorbidity, ultimately, enhancing the management of the respiratory disease.

Sex Differences in COVID-19 Hospitalization and Hospital Mortality among Patients with COPD in Spain: A Retrospective Cohort Study

“…We defined as the exposed cohort the patients who suffered COPD when admitted to the hospital. A participant was classified as a COPD patient if a code for COPD (ICD10 J44.0, J44.1 and J44.9) was recorded in any diagnosis position (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20), either as a primary or secondary diagnosis, along with a "present on admission" (POA) indicator of "yes". The POA allowed us to determine which conditions existed before the patient came to the hospital (Table S1).…”

“…The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a dramatic increase in pneumonia hospitalizations [1]. It has been described that 60-90% of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 have comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [2].…”

“…Using records of the hospital discharge database for Spain for the year 2020, in this study, we aimed to (1) assess the effect of COPD in the incidence of hospital admissions for COVID-19 according to sex; (2) analyze the effect of COPD on the in-hospital mortality (IHM) among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 according to sex; and (3) identify which sociodemographic and clinical conditions were associated with IHM among the COPD men and women hospitalized with COVID-19.…”