Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are not associated with higher COVID-19 mortality or case severity, according to a study published May 7 in The Lancet Rheumatology.
The finding contradicts suggestions made early in the pandemic that the medications could lead to more severe illness in COVID-19 patients.
For the study, researchers examined the outcomes of 72,179 COVID-19 patients admitted to 255 healthcare facilities in England, Scotland and Wales between Jan. 17 and Aug. 10, 2020. Of these patients, 5.8 percent had taken NSAIDs prior to their admission.
When comparing matched patient groups, researchers found no significant differences in disease severity among those who took NSAIDs. After adjusting for factors that could cause differences in outcomes, researchers also found the medications were not associated with worse in-hospital mortality, critical care admission, acute kidney injury or the need for ventilation or oxygen.
"We now have clear evidence that NSAIDs are safe to use in patients with COVID-19, which should provide reassurance to both clinicians and patients that they can continue to be used in the same way as before the pandemic began," lead author Ewen Harrison, PhD, a professor of surgery and data science at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, said in a news release.
To view the full study, click here.