Ursodeoxycholic Acid Does Not Improve COVID-19 Outcome in Hospitalized Patients

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) was demonstrated to reduce susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and improve infection course in chronic liver diseases. However, real-life evidence is lacking. We analyzed the impact of UDCA on COVID-19 outcomes in patients hospitalized in a tertiary center. Be...

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Main Authors: Francesca Colapietro, Giovanni Angelotti, Chiara Masetti, Dana Shiffer, Nicola Pugliese, Stella De Nicola, Francesco Carella, Antonio Desai, Monica Ormas, Marta Calatroni, Paolo Omodei, Michele Ciccarelli, Stefano Aliberti, Francesco Reggiani, Michele Bartoletti, Maurizio Cecconi, Ana Lleo, Alessio Aghemo, Antonio Voza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-08-01
Series:Viruses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/8/1738
Description
Summary:Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) was demonstrated to reduce susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and improve infection course in chronic liver diseases. However, real-life evidence is lacking. We analyzed the impact of UDCA on COVID-19 outcomes in patients hospitalized in a tertiary center. Between January 2020 and January 2023, among 3847 patients consecutively hospitalized for COVID19, 57 (=UDCA group) were taking UDCA. The UDCA and the control groups (<i>n</i> = 3790) did not differ concerning comorbidities including diabetes mellitus type 2 (15.8% vs. 12.8%) and neoplasia (12.3% vs. 9.4%). Liver diseases and vaccination rate were more common in the UDCA group (14.0% vs. 2.5% and 54.4% vs. 30.2%, respectively). Overall mortality and CPAP treatment were 22.8 % and 15.7% in the UDCA, and 21.3% and 25.9% in the control group. Mortality was similar (<i>p</i> = 0.243), whereas UDCA was associated with a lower rate of CPAP treatment (OR = 0.76, <i>p</i> < 0.05). Treatment with UDCA was not an independent predictor of survival in patients hospitalized for COVID-19.
ISSN:1999-4915