Analysis of the effect of proton pump inhibitors on the course of common COVID-19

Zhang, X.-Y.; Wu, H.-B.; Ling, Y.; Qian, Z.-P.; Chen, L.

Background/aims: To evaluate the effect of proton pump inhibitors on the course of common COVID-19. Methods: Clinical data of common COVID-19 patients admitted to the Shanghai public health clinical center for treatment from January 20, 2020 to March 16, 2020 were collected. A retrospective study was conducted and the patients were divided into two groups according to whether they used proton pump inhibitors or not. The differences in SARS-CoV-2 clearance and hospital stay between the two groups were compared by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: A total of 154 COVID-19 common cases were included in this study, including 80 males (51.9%), 35 patients (22.7%) in the proton pump inhibitors group, and 119 patients (77.3%) in the control group. In the proton pump inhibitors group and the control group, the duration of SARS-CoV-2 clearance were 7(6-9) and 7(6-11) days, and the duration of hospital stay was 21(16-25) and 20(15-26) days, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 clearance and the cumulative incidence of discharge, and the same after Propensity Score Match, all P > 0.05. Multivariate analysis suggested that chronic gastropathy prolonged the duration of SARS-CoV-2 clearance, the HR was 20.924(3.547-123.447). Hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic liver disease and malignant tumor all increased the duration of hospital stay for COVID-19, and the HR were 1.820 (1.073-3.085), 4.370 (1.205-15.844), 9.011 (2.681-30.290) and 5.270 (1.237-22.456), respectively; the duration of hospital stay in COVID-19 patients was shortened by SARS-CoV-2 clearance, and the HR was 0.907 (0.869-0.947); all P < 0.05. Conclusion: Proton pump inhibitors use have no effect on the prolonging or shortening of the course of adults hospitalized with COVID-19.