ACE2 Expression is Increased in the Lungs of Patients with Comorbidities Associated with Severe COVID-19

Bruna GG Pinto; Antonio ER Oliveira; Youvika Singh; Leandro Jimenez; Andre NA Goncalves; Rodrigo LT Ogava; Rachel Creighton; Jean PS Peron; Helder I Nakaya

Two independent studies of infected populations in Wuhan, China found that approximately half the subjects infected with COVID-19 had an existing comorbidity [1, 2] . In a study of 1099 patients across mainland China, 38.7% of patients with comorbidities progressed to severe infection [3] . 2020), and in a study of 52 inpatients in Wuhan, 67% of patients with comorbidities died [2] . The most common comorbidities reported in these studies were hypertension, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, and coronary heart disease [1] [2] [3] . Other comorbidities such as carcinoma, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, digestive system disease, and nervous system disease have also been reported in patients with COVID-19 [1, 2, 4] . A better understanding of the link between these conditions and COVID-19 infection is required to inform better treatment and prevention interventions.