1. Sars-Cov-2 Infection in Patients on Long-Term Treatment with Macrolides in Spain: A National Cross-Sectional Study
- Author
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Carmen Marina Meseguer Barros, Natalia Alzueta Isturiz, Rita Sainz de Rozas Aparicio, Rafael Aguilella Vizcaíno, Laura López Esteban, Sonia Anaya Ordóñez, Itxasne Lekue Alkorta, Salvadora Martín Suances, Jorge Ignacio Jiménez Arce, Maite Fernández Vicente, Yolanda Borrego Izquierdo, Raquel Prieto Sánchez, Silvia Casado Casuso, Rosa Madridejos, Carmen Marquina Verde, Rosa Tomás Sanz, María Oro Fernández, Sara Gallardo Borge, Eva Lázaro López, María Belén Pina Gadea, Mercedes Pereira Pía, María Victoria Maestre-Sánchez, Esther Ribes-Murillo, Constanza Gómez de Oña, Álvarez María Jesús Lallana, Concepción Celaya Lecea, María Ana Prado Prieto, Aranzazu Aranguez Ruiz, Vicente Olmo Quintana, Noemí Villén Romero, Carolina Payá Giner, Angeles Lloret Callejo, Alvaro Fernández Ferreiro, Blanca Basagoiti Carreño, Ana Aurelia Iglesias Iglesias, Antonio Martín Alonso, Ana Díez Alcántara, Esther Marco Tejón, Marta Lestón Vázquez, Mª Ángeles Ariza Copado, Marta Aparicio Cueva, Belén Escudero Vilaplana, Marisa Nicieza, Gracia Picazo Sanchiz, Genma María Silva Riádigos, Lucía Jamart Sánchez, Ángel García Álvarez, Antonio García Bonilla, Rafael Herrero Delicado, Virginia Arroyo Pineda, Belén de la Hija, Amelia Troncoso Mariño, Isabel Tofiño González, Mónica Susana Mateu García, Pablo García Vázquez, Joaquín Pérez Martín, and Rocío Fernández-Urrusuno
- Subjects
SARS-CoV-2 ,COVID-19 ,macrolides ,azithromycin ,long-term treatment ,outpatients ,Therapeutics. Pharmacology ,RM1-950 - Abstract
The aim of this study was to know the prevalence and severity of COVID-19 in patients treated with long-term macrolides and to describe the factors associated with worse outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Primary Care setting. Patients with macrolides dispensed continuously from 1 October 2019 to 31 March 2020, were considered. Main outcome: diagnosis of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Secondary outcomes: symptoms, severity, characteristics of patients, comorbidities, concomitant treatments. A total of 3057 patients met the inclusion criteria. Median age: 73 (64–81) years; 55% were men; 62% smokers/ex-smokers; 56% obese/overweight. Overall, 95% of patients had chronic respiratory diseases and four comorbidities as a median. Prevalence of COVID-19: 4.8%. This was in accordance with official data during the first wave of the pandemic. The most common symptoms were respiratory: shortness of breath, cough, and pneumonia. Additionally, 53% percent of patients had mild/moderate symptoms, 28% required hospital admission, and 19% died with COVID-19. The percentage of patients hospitalized and deaths were 2.6 and 5.8 times higher, respectively, in the COVID-19 group (p < 0.001). There was no evidence of a beneficial effect of long-term courses of macrolides in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection or the progression to worse outcomes in old patients with underlying chronic respiratory diseases and a high burden of comorbidity.
- Published
- 2021
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