Infect Dis Ther. 2020 Nov 2:1-16. doi: 10.1007/s40121-020-00363-w. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Ibuprofen disappeared from the pharmacy shelves during the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, a while later, information circulated that ibuprofen should be avoided as it could worsen COVID-19 symptoms. The aim of our study was to assess the association of acute and chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with worse COVID-19 outcomes.
METHODS: We did a prospective cohort study between April 12 and June 1, 2020. Adults consecutively diagnosed with COVID-19 were included. Information on NSAID use was collected through a telephone questionnaire, and patients were followed up for COVID-19 infection outcomes, including death, admission, severity, time to clinical improvement, oxygen requirement and length of stay.
RESULTS: Acute use of ibuprofen was not associated with a greater risk of mortality relative to non-use (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.632 [95% CI 0.073-5.441; P = 0.6758]). Chronic NSAID use was also not associated with a greater risk of mortality (adjusted HR 0.492 [95% CI 0.178-1.362; P = 0.1721]). Acute ibuprofen use was not associated with a higher risk of admission compared to non-NSAID users (adjusted odds ratio OR 1.271; 95% CI 0.548-2.953). NSAID users did not have a significantly longer time to clinical improvement or length of stay.
CONCLUSION: Acute or chronic use of ibuprofen and other NSAIDs was not associated with worse COVID-19 disease outcomes.
PMID:33135113 | PMC:PMC7604230 | DOI:10.1007/s40121-020-00363-w