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Bousquet J, Anto JM, Iaccarino G, Czarlewski W, Haahtela T, Anto A, Akdis CA, Blain H, Canonica GW, Cardona V, Cruz AA, Illario M, Ivancevich JC, Jutel M, Klimek L, Kuna P, Laune D, Larenas-Linnemann D, Mullol J, Papadopoulos NG, Pfaar O, Samolinski B, Valiulis A, Yorgancioglu A, Zuberbier T. Is diet partly responsible for differences in COVID-19 death rates between and within countries? Clin Transl Allergy 2020; 10:16. [PMID: 32499909 PMCID: PMC7250534 DOI: 10.1186/s13601-020-00323-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Reported COVID-19 deaths in Germany are relatively low as compared to many European countries. Among the several explanations proposed, an early and large testing of the population was put forward. Most current debates on COVID-19 focus on the differences among countries, but little attention has been given to regional differences and diet. The low-death rate European countries (e.g. Austria, Baltic States, Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, Poland, Slovakia) have used different quarantine and/or confinement times and methods and none have performed as many early tests as Germany. Among other factors that may be significant are the dietary habits. It seems that some foods largely used in these countries may reduce angiotensin-converting enzyme activity or are anti-oxidants. Among the many possible areas of research, it might be important to understand diet and angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) levels in populations with different COVID-19 death rates since dietary interventions may be of great benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Bousquet
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Berlin Institute of Health, Comprehensive Allergy Center, Berlin, Germany
- MACVIA-France, Montpellier, France
- CHU Montpellier, 273 Avenue d’Occitanie, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Josep M. Anto
- Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), ISGlobAL, Barcelona, Spain
- IMIM (Hospital del Mar Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Guido Iaccarino
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Cezmi A. Akdis
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Hubert Blain
- Department of Geriatrics, Montpellier University Hospital, Montpellier, France
- EA 2991, Euromov, University Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - G. Walter Canonica
- Personalized Medicine Clinic Asthma & Allergy, Humanitas University, Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan Italy
| | - Victoria Cardona
- Allergy Section, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Vall d’Hebron & ARADyAL research network, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alvaro A. Cruz
- ProAR – Nucleo de Excelencia em Asma, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Maddalena Illario
- WHO GARD Planning Group, Salvador, Brazil
- Division for Health Innovation, Campania Region, Naples, Italy
| | - Juan Carlos Ivancevich
- Federico II University Hospital Naples (R&D and DISMET), Naples, Italy
- Clinica Santa Isabel, Servicio de Alergia e Immunologia, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marek Jutel
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Ludger Klimek
- Center for Rhinology and Allergology, Wiesbaden, Germany
| | - Piotr Kuna
- Division of Internal Medicine, Asthma and Allergy, Barlicki University Hospital, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
| | | | - Désirée Larenas-Linnemann
- Center of Excellence in Asthma and Allergy, Médica Sur Clinical Foundation and Hospital, México City, Mexico
| | - Joaquim Mullol
- Rhinology Unit & Smell Clinic, ENT Department, Hospital Clínic; Clinical & Experimental Respiratory Immunoallergy, IDIBAPS, CIBERES, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nikos G. Papadopoulos
- Division of Infection, Immunity & Respiratory Medicine, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Allergy Department, 2nd Pediatric Clinic, Athens General Children’s Hospital “P&A Kyriakou,”, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Oliver Pfaar
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Rhinology and Allergy, University Hospital Marburg, Phillipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Boleslaw Samolinski
- Department of Prevention of Envinronmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Arunas Valiulis
- Institute of Clinical Medicine & Institute of Health Sciences, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Arzu Yorgancioglu
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Celal Bayar University, Faculty of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey
| | - Torsten Zuberbier
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Berlin Institute of Health, Comprehensive Allergy Center, Berlin, Germany
- MACVIA-France, Montpellier, France
- CHU Montpellier, 273 Avenue d’Occitanie, 34090 Montpellier, France
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