• Hakeam A Hakeam, Muhannad Alsemari, Duhailib Zainab Al ZA Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. , Leen Ghonem, Saad A Alharbi, Eid Almutairy, Nader M Bin Sheraim, Meshal Alsalhi, Ali Alhijji, Sara AlQahtani, Mohammed Khalid, and Mazin Barry.
• Pharmaceutical Care, 37852King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• J. Cardiovasc. Pharmacol. Ther. 2021 May 1; 26 (3): 244-252.

BackgroundSpeculations whether treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) predisposes to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or worsens its outcomes. This study assessed the association of ACE-I/ARB therapy with the development of severe COVID-19.MethodsThis multi-center, prospective study enrolled patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and receiving one or more antihypertensive agents to manage either hypertension or cardiovascular disease. ACE-I/ARB therapy associations with severe COVID-19 on the day of hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation and in-hospital death on follow-up were tested using a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for age, obesity, and chronic illnesses. The composite outcome of mechanical ventilation and death was examined using the adjusted Cox multivariate regression model.ResultsOf 338 enrolled patients, 245 (72.4%) were using ACE-I/ARB on the day of hospital admission, and 197 continued ACE-I/ARB therapy during hospitalization. Ninety-eight (29%) patients had a severe COVID-19, which was not significantly associated with the use of ACE-I/ARB (OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.66-2.09; P = .57). Prehospitalization ACE-I/ARB therapy was not associated with ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, or in-hospital death. Continuing ACE-I/ARB therapy during hospitalization was associated with decreased mortality (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.073-0.67; P = .008). ACE-I/ARB use was not associated with developing the composite outcome of mechanical ventilation and in-hospital death (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.51-1.78; P = .87) versus not using ACE-I/ARB.ConclusionPatients with hypertension or cardiovascular diseases receiving ACE-I/ARB therapy are not at increased risk for severe COVID-19 on admission to the hospital. ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and mortality are not associated with ACE-I/ARB therapy. Maintaining ACE-I/ARB therapy during hospitalization for COVID-19 lowers the likelihood of death.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT4357535.

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