[COVID-19 and asthma].

Given the prominent role of respiratory viruses in asthma exacerbations it has been feared that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic may result in massive irruption of asthmatic patients in the hospital emergency departments. It seems, however, that asthma is not a particular risk factor for SARS-COV-2 infection nor for death resulting from severe infection. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) were found to reduce expression of ACE2 receptor in sputum cells, thereby maybe reducing the risk of lung infection. Only the more severe asthmatic patients treated with oral corticoids or high dose ICS were found to be at risk of death, presumably because of associated comorbidities. Biologicals directed towards IgE or interleukin-5 do not seem to confer an increased risk of severe infection.