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Vol 24, No 3 (2020)
Original paper
Published online: 2020-09-21
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Severity of SARS-COV-2 infection and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers: a meta-analysis

Teodoro J. Oscanoa1, Xavier Vidal2, Alfonso Carvajal3, José Amado1, Roman Romero-Ortuno4
·
Arterial Hypertension 2020;24(3):106-114.
Affiliations
  1. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Drug Safety Research Centre, Facultad de Medicina Humana, Universidad de San Martín de Porres, Hospital Almenara, ESSALUD, Lima, Perú
  2. Clinical Pharmacology Department, Vall d’Hebron Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
  3. Centro de Estudios sobre la Seguridad de los Medicamentos (CESME), Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
  4. Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

open access

Vol 24, No 3 (2020)
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Published online: 2020-09-21

Abstract

Background: The mechanism of entry of SARS-COV-2 into the human host cell is through the ACE2 receptor. During the pandemic, a hypothesis has been proposed that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) could be risk factors for the development of severe SARS-COV-2 infection. The objective of the study was to conduct a meta-analysis of the association between ACEI or ARB use and SARS-COV-2 infection severity or mortality.

Material and methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Google scholar and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for observational studies published between December 2019 and August 4, 2020 Studies were included if they contained data on ACEI or ARB use and SARS-COV-2 infection severity or mortality.

Effect statistics were pooled using random-effects models. The quality of included studies was assessed with the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). Data on study design, study location, year of publication, number of participants, sex, age at baseline, outcome definition, exposure definition, effect estimates and 95% CIs were extracted.

Results: Twenty-six studies (21 cohort studies and 5 case-control studies) were identified for inclusion, combining to a total sample of 361467 participants. Mean age was 61.48 (SD 8.26) years and 51.63 % were men. The mean NOS score of included studies was 7.85 (range: 7–9). Results suggested that ACEI or ARB use did not increase the risk of severe disease or mortality from SARS-COV-2 infection (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.75–1.02, p > 0.05).

Conclusions: At present, the evidence available does not support the hypothesis of increased SARS-COV-2 risk with
ACEI or ARB drugs.

Abstract

Background: The mechanism of entry of SARS-COV-2 into the human host cell is through the ACE2 receptor. During the pandemic, a hypothesis has been proposed that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) could be risk factors for the development of severe SARS-COV-2 infection. The objective of the study was to conduct a meta-analysis of the association between ACEI or ARB use and SARS-COV-2 infection severity or mortality.

Material and methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Google scholar and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for observational studies published between December 2019 and August 4, 2020 Studies were included if they contained data on ACEI or ARB use and SARS-COV-2 infection severity or mortality.

Effect statistics were pooled using random-effects models. The quality of included studies was assessed with the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). Data on study design, study location, year of publication, number of participants, sex, age at baseline, outcome definition, exposure definition, effect estimates and 95% CIs were extracted.

Results: Twenty-six studies (21 cohort studies and 5 case-control studies) were identified for inclusion, combining to a total sample of 361467 participants. Mean age was 61.48 (SD 8.26) years and 51.63 % were men. The mean NOS score of included studies was 7.85 (range: 7–9). Results suggested that ACEI or ARB use did not increase the risk of severe disease or mortality from SARS-COV-2 infection (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.75–1.02, p > 0.05).

Conclusions: At present, the evidence available does not support the hypothesis of increased SARS-COV-2 risk with
ACEI or ARB drugs.

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Keywords

SARS-COV-2; COVID-19; angiotensin II receptor blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; renin–angiotensin system (RAS)

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Title

Severity of SARS-COV-2 infection and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers: a meta-analysis

Journal

Arterial Hypertension

Issue

Vol 24, No 3 (2020)

Article type

Original paper

Pages

106-114

Published online

2020-09-21

Page views

1809

Article views/downloads

817

DOI

10.5603/AH.a2020.0013

Bibliographic record

Arterial Hypertension 2020;24(3):106-114.

Keywords

SARS-COV-2
COVID-19
angiotensin II receptor blockers
angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
renin–angiotensin system (RAS)

Authors

Teodoro J. Oscanoa
Xavier Vidal
Alfonso Carvajal
José Amado
Roman Romero-Ortuno

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