COVID-19 Pandemic Waves and 2024–2025 Winter Season in Relation to Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor Blockers and Amantadine

<b>Background:</b> Early pandemic reports suggested improved outcomes in hypertensive COVID-19 patients treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or amantadine. This study evaluates their impact on disease progression. <b>Methods:</b> We analyzed 55,936 infected patients (March 2020-January 2025) and 2024 hospital admissions within a free-access Barcelona metropolitan health consortium (<i>n</i> = 192,651 as of March 2025). Hospitalizations, stratified by polypharmacy level (nT), were compared via Chi-square tests. ICU admissions and length of stay in hospitalized patients were assessed during the first month of key waves: initial A2a + B3a + B9 (<i>n</i> = 184, March 2020), Delta (<i>n</i> = 158, July 2021), Omicron21K (<i>n</i> = 142, January 2022), and Omicron 24F (<i>n</i> = 8, January 2025). <b>Results:</b> Non-survivors were predominantly aged >60 years (96.3%) in the first wave and >70 years (100%) in Delta/Omicron waves. Post-vaccination, mortality decreased in high-comorbidity groups, though hospitalizations/ICU admissions in younger patients surpassed first-wave levels during Delta. Vaccinated ACEI/ARB-treated patients showed reduced hospitalizations across all polypharmacy groups: OR (noACEI/ACEI) = 1.21 (≥2 nT) to 4.26 (1 nT, <i>p</i> = 0.014); OR (noARB/ARB) = 1.24 (≥8 nT) to 1.74 (2-7 nT, <i>p</i> = 0.01). No hospitalizations occurred in amantadine-treated patients aged <70. Conclusions: These findings suggest a potential protective effect of ACEI, ARBs, and amantadine against severe COVID-19 and support the safety and continuity of these treatments. Multicentric studies incorporating post-COVID syndrome data are needed to validate these observations if hospitalizations persist.

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Journal
Healthcare
Published
2025-05-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111270
Citations
3
Primary Topic
COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
4.19
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article

COVID-19 Pandemic Waves and 2024–2025 Winter Season in Relation to Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor Blockers and Amantadine

Helena Losa-Puig, Celia Lozano-Paz, Maite Franco-Romero, Roger Valls-Foix et al.
3 citations
Healthcare
COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
4.19
article

COVID-19 Pandemic Waves and 2024–2025 Winter Season in Relation to Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor Blockers and Amantadine

Helena Losa-Puig, Celia Lozano-Paz, Maite Franco-Romero, Roger Valls-Foix, Marta Juanes-González, Albert Cortés Borra, Anna Puigdellívol‐Sánchez, Ana Calderón-Valdiviezo, Luís Pueyo-Antón, Marc León-Pérez, Marta González-Salvador
article en
3 citations

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Early pandemic reports suggested improved outcomes in hypertensive COVID-19 patients treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or amantadine. This study evaluates their impact on disease progression. <b>Methods:</b> We analyzed 55,936 infected patients (March 2020-January 2025) and 2024 hospital admissions within a free-access Barcelona metropolitan health consortium (<i>n</i> = 192,651 as of March 2025). Hospitalizations, stratified by polypharmacy level (nT), were compared via Chi-square tests. ICU admissions and length of stay in hospitalized patients were assessed during the first month of key waves: initial A2a + B3a + B9 (<i>n</i> = 184, March 2020), Delta (<i>n</i> = 158, July 2021), Omicron21K (<i>n</i> = 142, January 2022), and Omicron 24F (<i>n</i> = 8, January 2025). <b>Results:</b> Non-survivors were predominantly aged >60 years (96.3%) in the first wave and >70 years (100%) in Delta/Omicron waves. Post-vaccination, mortality decreased in high-comorbidity groups, though hospitalizations/ICU admissions in younger patients surpassed first-wave levels during Delta. Vaccinated ACEI/ARB-treated patients showed reduced hospitalizations across all polypharmacy groups: OR (noACEI/ACEI) = 1.21 (≥2 nT) to 4.26 (1 nT, <i>p</i> = 0.014); OR (noARB/ARB) = 1.24 (≥8 nT) to 1.74 (2-7 nT, <i>p</i> = 0.01). No hospitalizations occurred in amantadine-treated patients aged <70. Conclusions: These findings suggest a potential protective effect of ACEI, ARBs, and amantadine against severe COVID-19 and support the safety and continuity of these treatments. Multicentric studies incorporating post-COVID syndrome data are needed to validate these observations if hospitalizations persist.

HealthcareVol. 13(11)
University Hospital Complex Of Vigo (ES), Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa (ES), Institut Català de la Salut (ES), Parque Sanitario Pere Virgili (ES), Esteve (Spain) (ES), Deleted Institution, Universitat de Barcelona (ES)
Openalex Percentile: Top 6%
COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
4.19
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