Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Inhibitors and COVID-19 Infection or Hospitalization: A Cohort Study

Coagulopathy and thromboembolic events a pathogenic mechanism of COVID-19 associated with mortality: An updated review

During 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 emerged from China, and during months, COVID-19 spread in many countries around the world. The expanding data about pathogenesis of this virus could elucidate the exact mechanism by which COVID-19 caused death in humans. One of the pathogenic mechanisms of this disease is coagulation. Coagulation disorders that affect both venous and arterial systems occur in patients with COVID-19. The possible mechanism involved in the coagulation could be excessive inflammation induced by SARS-CoV-2. However, it is not yet clear well how SARS-CoV-2 promotes coagulopathy. However, some factors, such as pulmonary endothelial cell damage and some anticoagulant system disorders, are assumed to have an important role. In this study, we assessed conducted studies about COVID-19-induced coagulopathy to obtain clearer vision of the wide range of manifestations and possible pathogenesis mechanisms.

The effects of hypertension on the prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019: a systematic review and meta-analysis on the interactions with age and antihypertensive treatment

BACKGROUND

Hypertension and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs)/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have been reported to be associated with the prognosis of COVID-19, but the findings remain controversial. Here, we conducted a systematic review to summarize the current evidence.

METHODS

We retrieved all the studies by MEDLINE via PubMed, CENTRAL, and Embase using the MeSH terms until 30 April 2021. A fixed or random effect model was applied to calculate pooled adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Interactive analysis was performed to identify the interaction effect of hypertension and age on in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

In total, 86 articles with 18 775 387 COVID-19 patients from 18 countries were included in this study. The pooled analysis showed that the COVID-19 patients with hypertension had increased risks of in-hospital mortality and other adverse outcomes, compared with those without hypertension, with an AOR (95% CI) of 1.36 (1.28-1.45) and 1.32 (1.24-1.41), respectively. The results were mostly repeated in countries with more than three independent studies. Furthermore, the effect of hypertension on in-hospital mortality is more evident in younger and older COVID-19 patients than in 60-69-year-old patients. ACEI/ARBs did not significantly affect the mortality and adverse outcomes of COVID-19 patients, compared with those receiving other antihypertensive treatments.

CONCLUSION

Hypertension is significantly associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality and adverse outcomes in COVID-19. The effect of hypertension on in-hospital mortality among consecutive age groups followed a U-shaped curve. ACEI/ARB treatments do not increase in-hospital mortality and other poor outcomes of COVID-19 patients with hypertension.

Renin-Angiotensin Aldosterone System Inhibitors and COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Revealing Critical Bias Across a Body of Observational Research

Background

Renin‐angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitor—COVID‐19 studies, observational in design, appear to use biased methods that can distort the interaction between RAAS inhibitor use and COVID‐19 risk. This study assessed the extent of bias in that research and reevaluated RAAS inhibitor—COVID‐19 associations in studies without critical risk of bias.

Methods and Results

Searches were performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases (December 1, 2019 to October 21, 2021) identifying studies that compared the risk of infection and/or severe COVID‐19 outcomes between those using or not using RAAS inhibitors (ie, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II type‐I receptor blockers). Weighted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CIs were extracted and pooled in fixed‐effects meta‐analyses, only from studies without critical risk of bias that assessed severe COVID‐19 outcomes. Of 169 relevant studies, 164 had critical risks of bias and were excluded. Ultimately, only two studies presented data relevant to the meta‐analysis. In 1 351 633 people with uncomplicated hypertension using a RAAS inhibitor, calcium channel blocker, or thiazide diuretic in monotherapy, the risk of hospitalization (angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor: HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66–0.87; P<0.001; angiotensin II type‐I receptor blockers: HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77–0.97; P=0.015) and intubation or death (angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor: HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.48–0.85; P=0.002; angiotensin II type‐I receptor blockers: HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.58–0.95; P=0.019) with COVID‐19 was lower in those using a RAAS inhibitor. However, these protective effects are probably not clinically relevant.

Conclusions

This study reveals the critical risk of bias that exists across almost an entire body of COVID‐19 research, raising an important question: Were research methods and/or peer‐review processes temporarily weakened during the surge of COVID‐19 research or is this lack of rigor a systemic problem that also exists outside pandemic‐based research?

Registration

URL: www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/; Unique identifier: CRD42021237859.

Renin-angiotensin system blocker and the COVID-19 aggravation in patients with hypertension, diabetes, renal failure, Cerebro-cardiovascular disease, or pulmonary disease: Report by the COVID-19 REGISTRY JAPAN

Background

The role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) in the pandemic context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to be debated. Patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, cerebro-cardiovascular disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), who often use ACEi/ARB, may be at risk of severe COVID-19. However, there are no data available on the association of ACEi/ARB use with COVID-19 severity in this population.

Methods

This study is an observational study of patients with a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test and inpatient treatment at a healthcare facility, using the registry information of COVIREGI-JP. Our primary outcomes were in-hospital death, ventilator support, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, and intensive care unit admission. Out of the 6055 patients, 1921 patients with preexisting hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, cerebro-cardiovascular disease, or COPD were enrolled.

Results

Factors associated with an increased risk of the primary outcomes were aging, male sex, COPD, severe renal impairment, and diabetes mellitus. No correlations were observed with ACEi/ARB, cerebro-cardiovascular diseases, or hypertension. Associated factors in male patients were aging, renal impairment, hypertension, and diabetes. In female patients, factors associated with an increased risk were aging, ACEi/ARB, renal impairment, and diabetes, whereas hypertension was associated with a lower risk of the primary outcomes.

Conclusions

Independent factors for the primary outcomes were aging, male sex, COPD, severe renal impairment, and diabetes, but not ACEi/ARB. Based on this registry data analysis, more detailed data collection and analysis is needed with the cooperation of multiple healthcare facilities.

Does the Serum Concentration of Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Have an Effect on the Severity of COVID-19? A Prospective Preliminary Observational Study among Healthcare Professionals

SARS-CoV-2 is a virus that causes severe respiratory distress syndrome. The pathophysiology of COVID-19 is related to the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). SARS-CoV-2, a vector of COVID-19, uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2), which is highly expressed in human lung tissue, nasal cavity, and oral mucosa, to gain access into human cells. After entering the cell, SARS-CoV-2 inhibits ACE-2, thus favouring the ACE/Ang II/angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) axis, which plays a role in the development of acute lung injury (ALI). This study aimed to analyse the influence of angiotensin 1 receptor (AT1R) levels in the serum on the course of the severity of symptoms in healthcare professionals who had a SARS-CoV-2 infection. This prospective observational study was conducted on a group of 82 participants. The study group included physicians and nurses who had a COVID-19 infection confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for SARS-CoV-2. The control group consisted of healthy medical professionals who had not had a SARS-CoV-2 infection or who had no symptoms of COVID-19 and who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 on the day of examination. We analysed the correlation between AT1R concentration and the severity of COVID-19, as well as with sex, age, blood group, and comorbidities. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean values of AT1R concentration in the recovered individuals and the non-COVID-19 subjects (3.29 vs. 3.76 ng/mL; p = 0.32). The ROC curve for the AT1R assay showed an optimal cut-off point of 1.33 (AUC = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.32-0.57; p = 0.37). There was also no correlation between AT1R concentration and the severity of symptoms associated with COVID-19. Blood type analysis showed statistically significantly lower levels of AT1R in COVID-19-recovered participants with blood group A than in those with blood group O. In conclusion, AT1R concentration does not affect the severity of symptoms associated with COVID-19 among healthcare professionals.

Effects of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) on clinical outcomes of patients with hypertension and COVID-19: A 7-month follow-up cohort study

Introduction: Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the use of angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) in hypertensive patients with COVID-19 has been controversial. Following our previous study, after one year, we intended to extend our sample size and results to investigate the effects of ARBs with both in-hospital outcomes and 7-month follow-up results in patients with COVID-19. Methods: Patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 who were admitted to Sina Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from February to October 2020 participated in this follow-up cohort study. The COVID-19 diagnosis was based on a positive polymerase chain reaction test or chest computed tomography scan according to guidelines. Patients were followed for disease severity, incurring in-hospital mortality, complications, and 7-month all-cause mortality. Results: We evaluated 1413 patients with COVID-19 in this study. After excluding 124 patients, 1289 including 561(43.5%) hypertensive patients, entered the analysis. During the study, 875(67.9%) severe disease, 227(17.6%) in-hospital mortality, and 307(23.8%) 7-month all-cause mortality were observed. After adjusting for possible confounders, ARB was not associated with severity, in-hospital and 7-month all-cause mortality, and in-hospital complications except for acute kidney injury. Discontinuation of ARBs was significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality and 7-month all-cause mortality (both P values<0.006). We observed a better 7-month outcome in those who continued their ARBs after discharge. Conclusion: The results of this study, along with the previous studies, provide reassurance that taking ARBs is not associated with the risk of mortality, complications, and poorer outcomes in hypertensive COVID-19 patients after adjustment for possible confounders.

Risk of Covid-19-Related Hospitalization and More Severe Outcomes in Medicare Beneficiaries Treated with Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Inhibitors for Hypertension

BACKGROUND

There are theoretical concerns that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) could increase the risk of severe Covid-19.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if ACEIs and ARBs are associated with an increased risk of Covid-19 hospitalization overall, or hospitalization involving intensive care unit (ICU) admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, or death.

DESIGN

Observational case-control study.

PARTICIPANTS

Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥ 66 years with hypertension, treated with ACEIs, ARBs, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), or thiazide diuretics.

MAIN MEASURES

Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the outcomes of Covid-19 hospitalization, or hospitalization involving ICU admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, or death.

RESULTS

A total of 35,300 cases of hospitalized Covid-19 were matched to 228,228 controls on calendar date and neighborhood of residence. The median age of cases was 79 years, 57.4% were female, and the median duration of hospitalization was 8 days (interquartile range 5-12). ACEIs and ARBs were associated with a slight reduction in Covid-19 hospitalization risk compared with treatment with other first-line antihypertensives (OR for ACEIs 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.98; OR for ARBs 0.94, 95% CI 0.90-0.97). Similar results were obtained for hospitalizations involving ICU admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, or death. There were no meaningful differences in risk for ACEIs compared with ARBs. In an analysis restricted to monotherapy with a first-line agent, CCBs were associated with a small increased risk of Covid-19 hospitalization compared with ACEIs (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.04-1.14), ARBs (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05-1.15), or thiazide diuretics (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03-1.19).

CONCLUSIONS

ACEIs and ARBs were not associated with an increased risk of Covid-19 hospitalization or with hospitalization involving ICU admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, or death. The finding of a small increased risk of Covid-19 hospitalization with CCBs was unexpected and could be due to residual confounding.

Crosstalk between the renin-angiotensin, complement and kallikrein-kinin systems in inflammation

During severe inflammatory and infectious diseases, various mediators modulate the equilibrium of vascular tone, inflammation, coagulation and thrombosis. This Review describes the interactive roles of the renin–angiotensin system, the complement system, and the closely linked kallikrein–kinin and contact systems in cell biological functions such as vascular tone and leakage, inflammation, chemotaxis, thrombosis and cell proliferation. Specific attention is given to the role of these systems in systemic inflammation in the vasculature and tissues during hereditary angioedema, cardiovascular and renal glomerular disease, vasculitides and COVID-19. Moreover, we discuss the therapeutic implications of these complex interactions, given that modulation of one system may affect the other systems, with beneficial or deleterious consequences.

The renin–angiotensin, complement and kallikrein–kinin systems comprise a multitude of mediators that modulate physiological responses during inflammatory and infectious diseases. This Review investigates the complex interactions between these systems and how these are dysregulated in various conditions, including cardiovascular diseases and COVID-19, as well as their therapeutic implications.

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors and SARS-CoV-2 infection: an analysis from the veteran's affairs healthcare system

BACKGROUND

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) are known to impact the functional receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The association between chronic therapy with these medications and infection risk remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

The objective was to determine the association between prior ACEI or ARB therapy and SARS-CoV-2 infection among patients with hypertension in the U.S. Veteran's Affairs health system.

METHODS

We compared the odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection among three groups: patients treated with ACEI, treated with ARB, or treated with alternate first-line anti-hypertensives without ACEI/ARB. We excluded patients with alternate indications for ACEI or ARB therapy. We performed an augmented inverse propensity weighted analysis with adjustment for demographics, region, comorbidities, vitals, and laboratory values.

RESULTS

Among 1,724,723 patients with treated hypertension, 659,180 were treated with ACEI, 310,651 with ARB, and 754,892 with neither. Before weighting, patients treated with ACEI or ARB were more likely to be diabetic and use more anti-hypertensives. There were 13,278 SARS-CoV-2 infections (0.8%) between February 12, 2020 and August 19, 2020. Patients treated with ACEI had lower odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection (odds ratio [OR] 0.93; 95% CI: 0.89-0.97) while those treated with ARB had similar odds (OR 1.02; 95% CI: 0.96-1.07) compared with patients treated with alternate first-line anti-hypertensives without ACEI/ARB. In falsification analyses, patients on ACEI did not have a difference in their odds of unrelated outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest the safety of continuing ACEI and ARB therapy. The association between ACEI therapy and lower odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection requires further investigation.

Renin-Angiotensin Aldosterone System Inhibitors in Primary Prevention and COVID-19

Background

Considering the widespread risk of collider bias and confounding by indication in previous research, the associations between renin‐angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitor use and COVID‐19 remain unknown. Accordingly, this study tested the hypothesis that RAAS inhibitors influence the summation effect of COVID‐19 and its progression to severe outcomes.

Methods and Results

This nationwide cohort study compared all residents of Sweden, without prior cardiovascular disease, in monotherapy (as of January 1, 2020) with a RAAS inhibitor to those using a calcium channel blocker or a thiazide diuretic. Comparative cohorts were balanced using machine‐learning‐derived propensity score methods. Of 165 355 people in the analysis (51% women), 367 were hospitalized or died with COVID‐19 (246 using a RAAS inhibitor versus 121 using a calcium channel blocker or thiazide diuretic; Cox proportional hazard ratio [HR], 0.97; 95% CI, 0.74–1.27). When each outcome was assessed separately, 335 people were hospitalized with COVID‐19 (HR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.70–1.22), and 64 died with COVID‐19 (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.68–2.19). The severity of COVID‐19 outcomes did not differ between those using a RAAS inhibitor and those using a calcium channel blocker or thiazide diuretic (ordered logistic regression odds ratio, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.89–1.14).

Conclusions

Despite potential limitations, this study is among the best available evidence that RAAS inhibitor use in primary prevention does not increase the risk of severe COVID‐19 outcomes; presenting strong data from which scientists and policy makers alike can base, with greater confidence, their current position on the safety of using RAAS inhibitors during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Insulin therapy and outcome from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression

BACKGROUND

Currently, the relationship between insulin therapy and COVID-19 outcome is not yet established. Our study aims to evaluate the possible association between insulin and the poor composite development of COVID-19.

METHODS

We systematically searched the PubMed and Europe PMC database using specific keywords related to our aims until December 12th, 2020. All articles published on COVID-19 and insulin were retrieved. Statistical analysis was done using Review Manager 5.4 and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 3 software.

RESULTS

Our pooled analysis showed that insulin use was associated with poor composite development of COVID-19 [OR 2.06 (95% CI 1.70 - 2.48), p < 0.00001, I2 = 83%, random-effect modelling], and its subgroup which comprised of risk of COVID-19 [OR 1.70 (95% CI 1.40 - 2.08), p < 0.00001, I2 = 34%, random-effect modelling], severe COVID-19 [OR 2.30 (95% CI 1.60 - 3.30), p < 0.00001, I2 = 88%, random-effect modelling], and mortality [OR 2.14 (95% CI 1.47 - 3.10), p < 0.0001, I2 = 85%, random-effect modelling]. Meta-regression showed that the association was influenced by age (p = 0.008), but not by diabetes (p = 0.423), and cardiovascular disease (p = 0.086).

CONCLUSION

Physicians should be more aware and take extra precautions with diabetes patients who use insulin therapy.

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers and region-specific variations in COVID-19 outcomes: findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been observed to cause a high mortality in people with cardiometabolic diseases. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockers enhance the expression of ACE2, the binding receptor of SARS-CoV-2, and can enhance viral infectivity. We aim to provide a pooled estimate of the effect of RAAS blockers on COVID-19 outcomes.

METHODS

A literature search was performed using MEDLINE/PubMed, Google Scholar and preprint servers. All clinical studies analyzing the effect of RAAS blockers on clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients were included in this study. Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used for quality assessment of studies. MOOSE checklist was followed. Mortality and severity outcomes were recorded as pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) and level of heterogeneity (I 2). Odds of mortality was the primary outcome. Odds of severity, hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation (MV), steroid use and acute kidney injury were the secondary outcomes. Severity outcomes were chosen depending upon the definition used by respective authors. Country-specific variations and effects of individual class of RAAS blockers were also explored.

RESULTS

In total 47 published studies were included in the final analysis, with a total of 26,432 patients from 31 studies in mortality analysis and 20,127 patients from 23 studies in severity analysis. No increased risk of mortality [Pooled OR 0.91 (0.65-1.26), I 2 = 89%] or severity [Pooled OR 1.08 (0.79-1.46), I 2 = 88%] was seen with RAAS blockers. The drug class was protective in hypertension [pooled OR 0.63 (0.46-0.86), I 2 = 58%]. Severity of COVID-19 outcomes was high for Europeans [Pooled OR 2.08 (1.52-2.85), I 2 = 77%] and US patients [Pooled OR 1.87 (1.62-2.17)]. Nearly 4 times higher risk of hospitalization and 2 times higher risk of ICU admission and MV were observed in US patients. Class-wise, angiotensin receptor blocker use was associated with 1.6 times higher odds of severity, mainly in Europeans.

CONCLUSION

RAAS blockers are not associated with increased mortality in COVID-19 patients and should be continued in hypertensives. US and European patients are at higher risk of severe outcomes. Pharmacogenetic differences may explain the ethnicity-related variations.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Effect of RAAS-blocking medicines on COVID-19 Background and aims: Higher deaths have been observed in COVID-19 patients who have other long-term diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Many of these patients are prescribed a class of medicines called RAAS blockers (ramipril, telmisartan, etc). We studied whether the use of these medicines worsens the course of COVID-19 disease in these patients or causes excess deaths.Methods: We conducted a pooled analysis of 47 observational studies on the use of RAAS blocker drugs in COVID-19 patients.Results: We found that RAAS blockers do not cause excess deaths in patients with COVID-19. On the contrary, they have benefits if prescribed to those with high blood pressure. We also found that whereas European and US patients of COVID-19 taking these medicines had higher disease severity, this was not the case for Chinese patients.Conclusion: Theremay be some genetic and other factors responsible for differences by ethnicity.

Lack of association of antihypertensive drugs with the risk and severity of COVID-19: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The association of antihypertensive drugs with the risk and severity of COVID-19 remains unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We systematically searched PubMed, MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrials.gov, and medRxiv for publications before July 13, 2020. Cohort studies and case-control studies that contain information on the association of antihypertensive agents including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), calcium-channel blockers (CCBs), β-blockers, and diuretics with the risk and severity of COVID-19 were selected. The random or fixed-effects models were used to pool the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for the outcomes. The literature search yielded 53 studies that satisfied our inclusion criteria, which comprised 39 cohort studies and 14 case-control studies. These studies included a total of 2,100,587 participants. We observed no association between prior usage of antihypertensive medications including ACEIs/ARBs, CCBs, β-blockers, or diuretics and the risk and severity of COVID-19. Additionally, when only hypertensive patients were included, the severity and mortality were lower with prior usage of ACEIs/ARBs (overall OR of 0.81, 95% CI 0.66-0.99, p < 0.05 and overall OR of 0.77, 95% CI 0.66-0.91, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, usage of antihypertensive drugs is not associated with the risk and severity of COVID-19. Based on the current available literature, it is not recommended to abstain from the usage of these drugs in COVID-19 patients.

REGISTRATION

The meta-analysis was registered on OSF (https://osf.io/ynd5g).

The association of COVID-19 occurrence and severity with the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin-II receptor blockers in patients with hypertension

BACKGROUND

A number of studies have reported the association between the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin-II receptor blocker (ARB) medications and the occurrence or severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Published results are inconclusive, possibly due to differences in participant comorbidities and sociodemographic backgrounds. Since ACEI and ARB are frequently used anti-hypertension medications, we aim to determine whether the use of ACEI and ARB is associated with the occurrence and severity of COVID-19 in a large study of US Veterans with hypertension.

METHODS

Data were collected from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Corporate Data Warehouse (VA-COVID-19 Shared Data Resource) between February 28, 2020 and August 18, 2020. Using data from 228,722 Veterans with a history of hypertension who received COVID-19 testing at the VA, we investigated whether the use of ACEI or ARB over the two years prior to the index date was associated with increased odds of (1) a positive COVID-19 test, and (2) a severe outcome (hospitalization, mortality, and use of intensive care unit (ICU) and/or mechanical ventilation) among COVID-19-positive patients. We used logistic regression with and without propensity score weighting (PSW) to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for the association between ACEI/ARB use and a positive COVID-19 test result. The association between medication use and COVID-19 outcome severity was examined using multinomial logistic regression comparing participants who were not hospitalized to participants who were hospitalized, were admitted to the ICU, used a mechanical ventilator, or died. All models were adjusted for relevant covariates, including demographics (age, sex, race, ethnicity), selected comorbidities, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI).

RESULTS

The use of ACEI significantly decreased the odds of a positive COVID-19 test among Veterans with hypertension (OR = 0.917, (0.887, 0.948) and OR = 0.926, (0.894, 0.958) with PSW). The use of ACEI, but not of ARB, was also associated with significantly increased odds of using mechanical ventilators (OR = 1.265, (1.010, 1.584) and OR = 1.210, (1.053, 1.39) with PSW) among all COVID-19 inpatients compared to outpatients.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study of Veterans with hypertension, ACEI was significantly associated with decreased odds of testing positive for COVID-19. With the exception of the association of ACEI with a small non-clinically-important increase in the odds of using mechanical ventilators, neither ACEI nor ARB was found to be associated with clinical severity or mortality among COVID-19-positive Veterans. The results of this study need further corroboration and validation in other cohort samples outside the VA.

Insights into the actions of angiotensin-1 receptor (AT1R) inverse agonists: Perspectives and implications in COVID-19 treatment

New coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has caused chaos in health care systems. Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are variable, with a complex pathophysiology and as yet no specific treatment. It has been suggested that the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system has a possible role in the severity of cases and the number of deaths. Our hypothesis is that drugs with inverse agonist effects to the angiotensin-1 receptor can be promising tools in the management of patients with COVID-19, possibly avoiding complications and the poor evolution in some cases. Any risk factors first need to be identified, and the most appropriate time to administer the drugs during the course of the infection also needs to be established. Several angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) have a favorable profile and are important candidates for the treatment of COVID-19. In this review we discussed a set of compounds with favorable profile for COVID-19 treatment, including azilsartan, candesartan, eprosartan, EXP3174, olmesartan, telmisartan, and valsartan. They are effective as inverse agonists and could reduce the "cytokine storm" and reducing oxidative stress. As COVID-19 disease has several evolution patterns, the effectiveness of ARB therapy would be related to infection "timing", patient risk factors, previous use of ARBs, and the specific molecular effects of an ARB. However, controlled studies are needed to identify whether ARBs are beneficial in the treatment of patients with COVID-19.

Challenges and Opportunities from Targeting Inflammatory Responses to SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Narrative Review

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that continues to sweep across the world, posing an urgent need for effective therapies and prevention of the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome related to coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). A major hypothesis that is currently guiding research and clinical care posits that an excessive and uncontrolled surge of pro-inflammatory cytokines (the so-called “cytokine storm”) drives morbidity and mortality in the most severe cases. In the overall efforts made to develop effective and safe therapies (including vaccines) for COVID-19, clinicians are thus repurposing ready-to-use drugs with direct or indirect anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. Speculatively, there are many opportunities and challenges in targeting immune/inflammatory processes in the evolving settings of COVID-19 disease because of the need to safely balance the fight against virus and aggressive inflammation versus the suppression of host immune defenses and the risk of additional harms in already compromised patients. To this end, many studies are globally underway to weigh the pros and cons of tailoring drugs used for inflammatory-driven conditions to COVID-19 patient care, and the next step will be to summarize the growing clinical trial experience into clean clinical practice. Based on the current evidence, anti-inflammatory drugs should be considered as complementary approaches to anti-viral drugs that need to be timely introduced in the management of COVID-19 according to disease severity. While drugs that target SARS-CoV-2 entry or replication are expected to confer the greatest benefits at the early stage of the infection, anti-inflammatory drugs would be more effective in limiting the inflammatory processes that drive the worsening of the disease.

DFT and docking studies of designed conjugates of noscapines & repurposing drugs: promising inhibitors of main protease of SARS-CoV-2 and falcipan-2

First case of the present epidemic, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is reported in the Wuhan, a city of the China and all the countries throughout the world are being affected. COVID-19 is named by World Health Organization and it stands for coronavirus disease-19. As on 27^th October, 2020, 73,776,588 people around the world are infected. It is also known as SARS-CoV-2 infection. Till date, there is no promising drug or vaccine available in market to cure from this lethal infection. As the literature reported that noscapine a promising candidate to cure from malaria as well reported to be cough suppressant and anti-cancerous. In our previous work, a derivative of noscapine has shown potential behavior against the main protease of novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2. Based on the previous study, hybrid molecules based on noscapine and repurposing (antiviral) drugs were designed to target the main protease of novel coronavirus and falcipan-2 using molecular docking. It is proposed that the designed hydrids or conjugates may have promising antiviral property i.e. against the main protease of novel coronavirus and falcipan-2. The designed molecules were thoroughly studied by DFT and different thermodynamic parameters were determined. Further, infrared and Raman spectra of the designed hybrid molecules were determined and studied.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.