Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk of COVID-19 Infection in Children.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use on COVID-19 susceptibility and severity in children.
Study Design: This retrospective, case-control study included all children ≤21 years undergoing COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction testing at a tertiary children's hospital between March 2020 and January 2023. The main exposure was PPI usage. The primary outcome was COVID-19 infection. The secondary outcome was COVID-19 hospitalization. Log-binomial regressions were used to examine associations between PPI use and these outcomes.
Results: 116 209 patients age 8.5 ± 6.2 years underwent 234 867 COVID-19 tests. Current PPI use was associated with a decreased risk of COVID-19 test positivity compared with PPI nonuse [RR 0.85 (95% CI 0.76, 0.94), P = .002]; however, there was a significant interaction with time of testing, and an effect of PPIs was no longer seen in the final months of the study following lessening of COVID-19 precautions [RR 1.04 (95% CI 0.0.80, 1.36), P = .77]. PPI use was not associated with risk of hospitalization in patients positive for COVID-19 after adjusting for other hospitalization risk factors [RR 0.85 (95% CI 0.64, 1.13), P = .26].
Conclusions: We did not find an association between PPI use and increased COVID-19 susceptibility or severity in this pediatric sample. These results provide reassuring evidence that PPIs may not worsen COVID-19 outcomes in children.
Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest This study was supported by NIHK23DK137036-01(Hirsch), NIHR01 DK097112-01 (Rosen), and an American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS) Discovery Grant (Hirsch). R.R. serves as a consultant to Reckitt Benckiser and NeurAxis. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest.
(Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)