Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 7, 2025
Synthesis and Characterization of an Aspirin-fumarate Prodrug that Inhibits NFκB Activity and Breast Cancer Stem Cells
Published on: January 18, 2017
Does aspirin have an effect on risk of death in patients with COVID-19? A meta-analysis
Shaodi Ma1, Wanying Su1, Chenyu Sun2
1Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public, Health Anhui Medical University, No. 81 Meishan Road, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
Insights
Aspirin use significantly reduced mortality in COVID-19 patients. This meta-analysis found no increased bleeding risk, suggesting aspirin as a potential protective factor against coronavirus disease 2019 deaths.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic caused global health crises.
- Thromboembolism risk is elevated in COVID-19 patients.
- Aspirin showed mortality benefits in non-COVID-19 ARDS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate aspirin's effect on COVID-19 mortality.
- To evaluate aspirin's safety profile regarding bleeding risk.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search across 10 databases and 4 registries.
- Random effects models to calculate pooled relative risks (RRs) for mortality.
- Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed.
Main Results:
- Aspirin use was linked to reduced COVID-19 mortality (aRR 0.69).
- Low-dose aspirin showed significant mortality reduction (aRR 0.64).
- Aspirin use did not increase bleeding risk (cRR 1.22).
Conclusions:
- Aspirin is associated with decreased mortality in COVID-19 patients.
- Aspirin does not elevate bleeding risk in this population.
- Findings support aspirin's potential role in managing COVID-19.
Purpose:
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has shown unprecedented impact world-wide since the eruption in late 2019. Importantly, emerging reports suggest an increased risk of thromboembolism development in patients with COVID-19. Meanwhile, it is found that aspirin reduced mortality in critically ill patients with non-COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome. Therefore, a meta-analysis was performed to investigate the effects of aspirin on COVID-19 mortality.
Methods:
A systematic literature search was conducted in 10 electronic databases and 4 registries. Random effects models were used to calculate pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (Cis) to estimate the effect of aspirin on COVID-19 mortality. Relevant subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were also performed.
Results:
The results showed that aspirin use was associated with a reduction in COVID-19 mortality (adjusted RR 0.69; 95% CI 0.50-0.95; P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis found that the low-dose group was associated with a reduced COVID-19 mortality (adjusted RR 0.64; 95% CI 0.48-0.85; P < 0.01). Aspirin use was associated with reduced COVID-19 mortality in Europe and America (crude RR 0.71; 95% CI 0.52-0.98; P = 0.04), and results from cohort studies suggested that aspirin use was a protective factor for COVID-19 mortality (adjusted RR 0.73; 95% CI 0.52-0.99; P = 0.04). Meanwhile, aspirin use was not associated with bleeding risk (crude RR 1.22; 95% CI 0.80-1.87; P = 0.96).
Conclusions:
This meta-analysis found that aspirin use was associated with a reduction in mortality in patients with COVID-19 and not with an increased risk of bleeding.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
01:14Time Course of Drug Effect
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
01:27Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism
Such synergistic combinations...
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
01:26Coronary Artery Disease IV: Preventive Measures