Retrospective analysis of risk factors for COVID-19 in the working population

Abstract

Aim - the discutability of existing scientific publications prompted a retrospective analysis of COVID-19 risk factors among the working population using the example of Russian Railways.

Material and methods. Based on the archival documentation of medical institutions of Russian Railways, an analysis of the incidence of employees of the holding was carried out. Data from 2452 cases were analysed, for which full medical documentation was available. The comparison group randomly included 2911 workers who did not have COVID-19, comparable in sex, age, and area of residence.

Results. Significant factors of difference between the groups of patients and those who were not ill were: sex, the presence of influenza vaccination, smoking and established diabetes mellitus. There was a trend towards an association of COVID-19 incidence and the presence of cardiovascular disease. In the comparison group, unlike the group of COVID-19 cases, there are 23% more persons who were vaccinated against influenza. In the group of patients with diabetes mellitus was found 3 times more often than in the group of non-patients. In both groups, the incidence rates of cardiovascular disease did not differ. However, as the severity of the disease increased, there was a tendency to increase the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Meanwhile, the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors (male sex, smoking, diabetes mellitus, obesity) was significantly associated with a higher incidence in the disease group compared to non-patients. Multifactorial analysis also revealed other significant combinations of risk factors with COVID-19 risk: lack of influenza vaccination and the presence of diabetes mellitus; lack of vaccination, smoking and the presence of diabetes mellitus.

Conclusion. For the working population, male sex and diabetes may be a significant risk factor for developing COVID-19. Influenza vaccination should be considered as a factor in anti- COVID-19 protection. Cardiovascular disease and smoking may serve as additional risk factors.

Keywords:COVID-19, influenza, vaccination, risk factor, Russian Railways

Funding. The study had no financial support.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Contribution. Collection of material - Zhidkova E.A., Gutor E.M., Tkachenko Yu.A.; statistical analysis, writing an article - Rogova I.V., Popova I.A.; research design - Gurevich K.G.

For citation: Zhidkova E.A., Gutor E.M., Tkachenko Yu.A., Rogova I.V., Popova I.A., Gurevich K.G. Retrospective analysis of risk factors for COVID-19 in the working population. Infektsionnye bolezni: novosti, mneniya, obuchenie [Infectious Diseases: News, Opinions, Training]. 2021; 10 (2): 25-30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/2305-3496-2021-10-2-25-30 (in Russian)

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CHIEF EDITOR
Aleksandr V. Gorelov
Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, MD, Head of Infection Diseases and Epidemiology Department of the Scientific and Educational Institute of Clinical Medicine named after N.A. Semashko ofRussian University of Medicine, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Professor of the Department of Childhood Diseases, Clinical Institute of Children's Health named after N.F. Filatov, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Deputy Director for Research, Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, Rospotrebnadzor (Moscow, Russian Federation)

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