Kyung Hee University researchers publish analysis on chronic respiratory illnesses, COVID-19

A research team led by Yeon Dong-Geon of the Kyung Hee University College of Medicine has published its assessment of negative impacts of chronic respiratory diseases and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yeon Dong-Geon

A Kyung Hee university official said the analysis is the world’s first global assessment on such illnesses and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study, a massive international collaboration involving more than 1,100 researchers from institutions including the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Harvard Medical School, was published in the January issue of Nature Medicine.

Chronic respiratory diseases encompass conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, interstitial lung disease and pneumoconiosis. They are among the four major noncommunicable diseases identified by the World Health Organization alongside cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.

As of 2023, an estimated 569 million people worldwide were living with chronic respiratory disease, with more than half of these cases attributable to asthma. However, most deaths occurred in patients with COPD, highlighting significant differences in disease burden across conditions.

Researcher Lim Ye-sol

Using global data from 204 countries covering 1990 to 2023, the researchers examined trends in prevalence and mortality and evaluated how the COVID-19 pandemic affected those trends.

The analysis showed that while global mortality from chronic respiratory diseases declined by approximately 25.7 percent, the total number of patients increased. Death rates from asthma and COPD generally fell, but some conditions, including interstitial lung disease, showed persistent or unchanged burden levels.

Postpandemic trends revealed that while incidence rates slightly increased after 2020, the pace of mortality reduction slowed. The researchers suggested that public health measures such as wearing a mask and social distancing may have reduced short-term worsening triggers by lowering respiratory infections, but the long-term burden of disease remains significant.

Researcher Kim So-eun

They also noted a “hidden patient” effect — increased use of diagnostic imaging and expanded health care access during the pandemic may have uncovered previously undiagnosed cases.

Detailed analysis also showed that disease burden and mortality were concentrated among people aged 75 and older, particularly for interstitial lung disease. Researchers said this underscores the importance of proactive management and early diagnosis in aging societies.

Risk factors varied by disease and region. Globally, smoking remained the leading risk for COPD, while high body mass index was the most significant risk factor for asthma — trends most pronounced in high-income regions. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive prevention strategies, including anti-smoking policies and obesity management.

Researcher Oh Ji-yeon

“The study demonstrates Kyung Hee University’s leadership role in the global health research community and that the results could help inform tailored intervention strategies prioritizing older populations and high-burden regions,” Yeon said in a press release.