Association Between Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors Prevalent Use and COVID-19-Related Mortality: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: Since the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many efforts have been made to prevent and to treat the disease. In this line, the anti-inflammatory effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) as alternatives for treating chronic inflammatory diseases has been studied. There is previous evidence of the usefulness of these drugs for reducing COVID-19 impact. METHODS/PROCEDURES: We conducted a retrospective single-center cohort study of adult patients with a positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for COVID-19, evaluating the association between SSRI use and in-hospital mortality. FINDINGS/RESULTS: Of 1689 included patients, 182 (10.8%) were exposed to SSRI. A total of 291 patients died during the hospitalization, representing an in-hospital mortality of 17.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.4%-19.0%): 44 (24.2%) of the exposed to SSRIs versus 247 (16.4%) of those not exposed to SSRIs (crude odds ratio [OR], 1.62; 95% CI, 1.12-2.34; P = 0.009). No independent effect of SSRIs on in-hospital mortality was found when applying either the inverse probability of treatment weighting (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.71-1.89; P = 0.56) or with conventional multivariable analysis 0.81 (95 % CI: 0.28-2.31, P = 0.69). IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: In the present retrospective study of patients hospitalized for COVID-19, prior use of SSRIs did not reduce mortality.

[Antipsychotic prescription prevalence and metabolic monitoring of patients under chronic treatment]. / [Prevalencia en la prescripción de antipsicóticos y monitoreo metabólico en pacientes bajo tratamiento crónico].

INTRODUCTION: Antipsychotics agents increase morbidity and mortality due to their metabolic impact. Information on its prescription and follow-up is scarce. The objective of this study was to estimate the chronic antipsychotic prescription prevalence and to evaluate the metabolic monitoring of patients treated with these medications. METHODS: We examined a retrospective cohort of patients older than 18 years treated in the outpatient setting of a hospital in Argentina. The crude and adjusted prevalence of chronic antipsychotic prescription was estimated by indirect standardization of the World Health Organization population, with its confidence interval (95%). It was evaluated whether the patients had biochemical determinations, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and body mass index (BMI) at the beginning and at 12 months of their treatment. RESULTS: The crude antipsychotic prescription prevalence was 23.8 ‰ (95% CI 23.0 - 24.6) and the adjusted prevalence was 10.1 ‰ (95% CI 9.5-10.7). 3702 patients were evaluated. The male:female ratio was 0.6. Median age 77.5 years (IQR 25-75: 59.5-86.1). Quetiapine was the most frequently prescribed. Initial determinations: Lipid profile 1804 (48.7%), blood glucose 2034 (54.9%), SBP 2546 (68.8%) and BMI 1584 (42.8%). At 12 months: Lipid profile 680 (18.4%), blood glucose 898 (24.3%), SAT 1609 (43.5%), and BMI 1584 (21.7%). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a higher prevalence of atypical antipsychotic prescription in the elderly and female population and scarce registry of biochemical determinations for adverse effects follow-up.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Los antipsicóticos incrementan la morbimortalidad por su impacto metabólico. Es escasa la información sobre su prescripción y seguimiento. El objetivo fue estimar la prevalencia de prescripción de antipsicóticos crónicos y evaluar el monitoreo metabólico. MÉTODOS: Cohorte retrospectiva de pacientes ambulatorios mayores de 18 años de un hospital de Argentina. Se estimó la prevalencia cruda y ajustada de prescripción crónica de antipsicóticos mediante estandarización indirecta por la población de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), con su intervalo de confianza 95%. Se evaluó si los pacientes en tratamiento tenían determinaciones bioquímicas, tensión arterial sistólica (TAS) e índice de masa corporal (IMC), al inicio y a los 12 meses. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia cruda de prescripción de antipsicóticos fue 23,8‰ (IC del 95% 23,0 ­ 24,6) y la ajustada fue 10,1 ‰ (95% CI 9,5-10,7). Se evaluaron 3702 pacientes. La razón hombre/mujer fue 0,6. La mediana de edad 77,5 años (IQR 25-75: 59,5-86,1). Predominó quetiapina. Pacientes con determinaciones al inicio: lipidograma 1804 (48,7%), glucemia 2034 (54,9 %), TAS 2546 (68,8 %) e IMC 1584 (42,8%). A los 12 meses: lipidograma 680 (18,4%), glucemia 898 (24,3%), TAS 1609 (43,5%) e IMC 1584 (21,7%). CONCLUSIONES: Observamos una mayor prescripción de antipsicóticos atípicos en la población anciana y femenina, y un escaso registro de determinaciones clínico-bioquímicas para control de efectos adversos.