Impact of COVID-19 on Heart Failure Patients in South Korea.

Cardiovascular diseases can affect the clinical course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, evaluation of COVID-19 contribution to prognosis for each individual disease, such as heart failure, is lacking in South Korea. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate COVID-19 patients with heart failure by matching them with patients with heart failure only and those with COVID-19 only. We performed a nationwide population-based retrospective study using data from the National Health Insurance System. Based on patients with heart failure and COVID-19, up to 1:3 propensity score matching procedures were performed for patients with heart failure only and those with COVID-19 only. The outcome was the composite of complications. After matching, a multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression analysis was performed. The number of patients was 317 for heart failure and COVID-19, 951 for heart failure only, and 884 for COVID-19 only. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the composite of complications of patients with heart failure and COVID-19 compared with those with heart failure only was 3.511 (2.501-4.928), and compared with those with COVID-19 only, they were 1.626 (1.112-2.376). In patients with heart failure and COVID-19, age per 10 years increase and diabetes were significant variables with the adjusted OR (95% CI) [2.206 (1.704-2.856) for age and 2.345 (1.244-4.420) for diabetes] for complications. This study demonstrated that patients with both heart failure and COVID-19 in South Korea are associated with a poor prognosis. Patients with heart failure require more surveillance and precautions for COVID-19, as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Effect of aspirin on coronavirus disease 2019: A nationwide case-control study in South Korea.

ABSTRACT: Several studies reported that aspirin can potentially help prevent infection and serious complications of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but no study has elucidated a definitive association between aspirin and COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the association between aspirin and COVID-19.This case-control study used demographic, clinical, and health screening laboratory test data collected from the National Health Insurance Service database. Patients who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection until June 4, 2020, were matched with control patients using propensity score matching according to their SARS-CoV-2 status, the composite of complications, and death. The composite of complications included intensive care unit admission, use of vasopressors, high-flow oxygen therapy, renal replacement therapy, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and death. Exposure to aspirin was defined as having a prescription for aspirin for more than 14 days, including the index date. After matching, multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression analysis was performed. To confirm the robustness of this study, we used 2 study groups, 3 propensity score matching methods, and 3 models for conditional logistic regression analyses.The crude odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for SARS-CoV-2 infection between the groups without and with exposure to aspirin were 1.21 (1.04-1.41), but the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) were not significant. There was no association between aspirin exposure and COVID-19 status. Multiple statistical analyses, including subgroup analysis, revealed consistent results. Furthermore, the results of analysis for complications and death were not significant. Aspirin exposure was not associated with COVID-19-related complications and mortality in COVID-19 patients.In this nationwide population-based case-control study, aspirin use was not associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection or related complications. With several ongoing randomized controlled trials of aspirin in COVID-19 patients, more studies would be able to confirm the effectiveness of aspirin in COVID-19.

Impact of liver cirrhosis on the clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19: a nationwide cohort study of Korea.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The impact of liver cirrhosis (LC) on the clinical outcomes of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains elusive. This study evaluated the association between LC and the development of severe complications from COVID-19. METHODS: We used the National Health Insurance claims data of Korea. We included 234,427 patients older than 19 years who tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Patients with LC who were infected with COVID-19 (n = 67, LC+ COVID+) were matched with those with cirrhosis only (n = 332, LC+ COVID-) and those with COVID-19 only (n = 333, LC- COVID+) using a propensity score in a 1:5 ratio. The primary outcome was the development of severe complications. RESULTS: Of the matched patients, the mean age was 60 years and 59.7% were male. Severe complications occurred in 18, 54, and 60 patients in the LC+ COVID+, LC+ COVID-, and LC- COVID+ groups, respectively. After adjusting for comorbidities, there was no significant difference in the risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19 between the LC+ COVID+ and LC- COVID+ groups but significant difference exists between the LC+ COVID+ and LC+ COVID-. Older age, hypertension, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a higher Charlson comorbidity index were associated with a higher risk of severe complications in patients with cirrhosis and COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that LC was not independently associated with the development of severe complications, including mortality, in patients with COVID-19. Our results need to be evaluated through a large, prospective study.

Update on association between exposure to renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors and coronavirus disease 2019 in South Korea.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there have been concerns about the association between exposure to renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors and the risk and severity of COVID-19. METHODS: We performed a case-control study that utilized up-to-date data on the South Korean population provided by the Korean National Health Insurance System. Of the 62,909 patients with hypertension or heart failure tested for COVID-19, there were 1,644 (2.6%) confirmed cases. After case-control matching, multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: Comparison between patients exposed to RAAS inhibitors and those not exposed to RAAS inhibitors revealed that the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for COVID-19 infection and death were 0.981 (95% CI, 0.849 to 1.135) and 0.875 (95% CI, 0.548 to 1.396), respectively. Subgroup analysis for the major confounders, age and region of diagnosis, resulted in OR of 0.912 (95% CI, 0.751 to 1.108) and 0.942 (95% CI, 0.791 to 1.121), respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated no evidence of association between RAAS inhibitor exposure and risk and severity of COVID-19.

Effect of Spironolactone on COVID-19 in Patients With Underlying Liver Cirrhosis: A Nationwide Case-Control Study in South Korea.

Purpose: On the basis that spironolactone is involved in ACE2 expression and TMPRSS2 activity, previous studies have suggested that spironolactone may influence the infectivity of COVID-19. Research has suggested that cell entry of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that induces COVID-19, is associated with the ACE2 receptor and TMPRSS2. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether spironolactone has a protective effect against COVID-19 and the development of associated complications in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: We conducted a nationwide case-control study on liver cirrhosis patients with or without COVID-19 from the population-based data acquired from the National Health Insurance Systems of Republic of Korea. After 1:5 case-control matching, multivariable adjusted conditional logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Among the patients with liver cirrhosis, the case group with COVID-19 was found to be significantly less exposed to spironolactone compared with the control group without COVID-19. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) between the two groups was 0.20 (0.07-0.54). In addition, regardless of cumulative dose of spironolactone, exposure to spironolactone was associated with lower COVID-19 infection. In terms of the development of complications due to COVID-19, spironolactone did not show any significant association between the patients with and without complications (P = 0.43). The adjusted OR and 95% CI between the two groups was 1.714 (0.246-11.938). Conclusion: We conclude that spironolactone may reduce susceptibility to COVID-19 but does not affect the development of its associated complications; however, further studies are needed to confirm the exact association between spironolactone and COVID-19 infection.

Association Between Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Inhibitors and COVID-19 Infection in South Korea.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is known to infect host cells by interacting with ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) expressed in the respiratory epithelium. There have been concerns on whether alterations of ACE2 expression by renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors would contribute to the infectivity and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We performed a case-control study to investigate the association between RAAS inhibitors and risk and severity of COVID-19 infection in South Korea using the population-based data provided by the Korean National Health Insurance System. Of 16 281 subjects with hypertension, there were 950 (5.8%) confirmed COVID-19 cases. After case-control matching, multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression analysis was performed. The adjusted odds ratio and 95% CIs for COVID-19 infection and long-term hospitalization comparing exposure to RAAS inhibitors and nonexposure to RAAS inhibitors was 1.161 (0.958-1.407) and 0.863 (0.533-1.397), respectively. When comparing exposure to RAAS inhibitors and nonexposure to RAAS inhibitors for intensive care unit admission, high-flow oxygen therapy, and death, the adjusted odds ratios (95% CIs) were 1.515 (0.402-5.701), 0.663 (0.272-1.619), and 1.363 (0.513-3.662), respectively. In all analyses, P values were not significant (P>0.05). The present study demonstrates the absence of an identifiable association between the exposure to RAAS inhibitors and risk and severity of COVID-19 infection, supporting the current medical guidelines and recommendations that patients should not discontinue RAAS inhibitors out of a concern that they are at increased risk for infection or severe illness of COVID-19.