COVID-19 in patients with a past history of chemical war injury: a cross-sectional study in southern Iran.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19 is associated with a different presenting clinical picture or a more severe course of illness in people with a past history of chemical war injury. METHODS: This is a multicenter retrospective study in Fars province, Iran, from 22 August to 4 October 2020. People with a past history of chemical war injury and COVID-19 were studied. Two age- and sex-matched control groups, double the size of the patient group each, from the same database of patients with COVID-19 who were hospitalized at the same time [i.e., healthy controls and pseudocontrols]. RESULTS: 46 people with a past history of chemical war injury, 92 healthy controls, and 92 pseudocontrols were studied. People with COVID-19 and a past history of chemical war injury had a significantly higher rate of chest pain compared to others. There were no other clinical differences between the groups. Mortality rate was 17.39%, 15.21%, and 27.17% in people with a past history of chemical war injury, the control group, and the pseudocontrol group, respectively. CONCLUSION: A past history of a chemical war injury does not add to the risk of COVID-19 and does not significantly modify its clinical picture either.