Association between antidepressant use and ED or hospital visits in outpatients with SARS-CoV-2

Abstract Antidepressants have previously been associated with better outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, but their effect on clinical deterioration among ambulatory patients has not been fully explored. The objective of this study was to assess whether antidepressant exposure was associ...

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Main Authors: Bradley A. Fritz, Nicolas Hoertel, Eric J. Lenze, Farid Jalali, Angela M. Reiersen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2022-08-01
Series:Translational Psychiatry
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02109-3
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author Bradley A. Fritz
Nicolas Hoertel
Eric J. Lenze
Farid Jalali
Angela M. Reiersen
author_facet Bradley A. Fritz
Nicolas Hoertel
Eric J. Lenze
Farid Jalali
Angela M. Reiersen
author_sort Bradley A. Fritz
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Antidepressants have previously been associated with better outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, but their effect on clinical deterioration among ambulatory patients has not been fully explored. The objective of this study was to assess whether antidepressant exposure was associated with reduced emergency department (ED) or hospital visits among ambulatory patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. This retrospective cohort study included adult patients (N = 25 034) with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test performed in a non-hospital setting. Logistic regression analyses tested associations between home use of antidepressant medications and a composite outcome of ED visitation or hospital admission within 30 days. Secondary exposures included individual antidepressants and antidepressants with functional inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase (FIASMA) activity. Patients with antidepressant exposure were less likely to experience the primary composite outcome compared to patients without antidepressant exposure (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.89, 95% CI 0.79–0.99, p = 0.04). This association was only observed with daily doses of at least 20 mg fluoxetine-equivalent (aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.99, p = 0.04), but not with daily doses lower than 20 mg fluoxetine-equivalent (aOR 0.94, 95% CI 0.80–1.11, p = 0.48). In exploratory secondary analyses, the outcome incidence was also reduced with exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.75–0.99, p = 0.04), bupropion (aOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.55–0.90, p = 0.005), and FIASMA antidepressant drugs (aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.99, p = 0.03). Antidepressant exposure was associated with a reduced incidence of emergency department visitation or hospital admission among SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, in a dose-dependent manner. These data support the FIASMA model of antidepressants’ effects against COVID-19.
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spelling doaj.art-34433a9cdbeb425a9058d4fdb84d05af2022-12-22T04:18:55ZengNature Publishing GroupTranslational Psychiatry2158-31882022-08-011211910.1038/s41398-022-02109-3Association between antidepressant use and ED or hospital visits in outpatients with SARS-CoV-2Bradley A. Fritz0Nicolas Hoertel1Eric J. Lenze2Farid Jalali3Angela M. Reiersen4Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of MedicineAssistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Corentin-CeltonDepartment of Psychiatry, Washington University School of MedicineDepartment of Gastroenterology, Saddleback Medical GroupDepartment of Psychiatry, Washington University School of MedicineAbstract Antidepressants have previously been associated with better outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, but their effect on clinical deterioration among ambulatory patients has not been fully explored. The objective of this study was to assess whether antidepressant exposure was associated with reduced emergency department (ED) or hospital visits among ambulatory patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. This retrospective cohort study included adult patients (N = 25 034) with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test performed in a non-hospital setting. Logistic regression analyses tested associations between home use of antidepressant medications and a composite outcome of ED visitation or hospital admission within 30 days. Secondary exposures included individual antidepressants and antidepressants with functional inhibition of acid sphingomyelinase (FIASMA) activity. Patients with antidepressant exposure were less likely to experience the primary composite outcome compared to patients without antidepressant exposure (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.89, 95% CI 0.79–0.99, p = 0.04). This association was only observed with daily doses of at least 20 mg fluoxetine-equivalent (aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.99, p = 0.04), but not with daily doses lower than 20 mg fluoxetine-equivalent (aOR 0.94, 95% CI 0.80–1.11, p = 0.48). In exploratory secondary analyses, the outcome incidence was also reduced with exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.75–0.99, p = 0.04), bupropion (aOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.55–0.90, p = 0.005), and FIASMA antidepressant drugs (aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.99, p = 0.03). Antidepressant exposure was associated with a reduced incidence of emergency department visitation or hospital admission among SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, in a dose-dependent manner. These data support the FIASMA model of antidepressants’ effects against COVID-19.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02109-3
spellingShingle Bradley A. Fritz
Nicolas Hoertel
Eric J. Lenze
Farid Jalali
Angela M. Reiersen
Association between antidepressant use and ED or hospital visits in outpatients with SARS-CoV-2
Translational Psychiatry
title Association between antidepressant use and ED or hospital visits in outpatients with SARS-CoV-2
title_full Association between antidepressant use and ED or hospital visits in outpatients with SARS-CoV-2
title_fullStr Association between antidepressant use and ED or hospital visits in outpatients with SARS-CoV-2
title_full_unstemmed Association between antidepressant use and ED or hospital visits in outpatients with SARS-CoV-2
title_short Association between antidepressant use and ED or hospital visits in outpatients with SARS-CoV-2
title_sort association between antidepressant use and ed or hospital visits in outpatients with sars cov 2
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02109-3
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