Analysis of Prior Aspirin Treatment on in-Hospital Outcome of Geriatric COVID-19 Infected Patients
Khaoula Zekri-Nechar1, José Barberán2, José J Zamorano-León3
1Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
Insights
Prior aspirin (ASA) use in elderly COVID-19 patients increased in-hospital mortality. While not raising pulmonary embolism risk, ASA did not prevent it. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) reduced ICU needs but also increased mortality.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Aspirin (ASA) is a widely used antithrombotic agent with established benefits in preventing venous thromboembolism.
- COVID-19 poses significant risks, particularly to the geriatric population, including thrombotic events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hospital outcomes of geriatric COVID-19 patients with prior low-dose aspirin (ASA) therapy compared to those without.
- To assess the impact of ASA on pulmonary embolism (PE) and in-hospital mortality in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective observational study using anonymized data from Madrid Hospitals Group (March-April 2020).
- Comparison of geriatric COVID-19 patients with and without prior 100 mg/day ASA treatment.
- Analysis of clinical outcomes including PE, ICU admission, and all-cause mortality.
Main Results:
- ASA-treated patients were older and had more comorbidities (hypertension, hyperlipidemia) and higher admission D-dimer levels.
- No increased frequency of pulmonary embolism (PE) was observed in ASA-treated patients.
- In-hospital all-cause mortality within 30 days was higher in geriatric COVID-19 patients with prior ASA treatment.
- Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in ASA-treated patients reduced ICU care but tended to increase 30-day mortality.
Conclusions:
- Prior low-dose ASA treatment in geriatric COVID-19 patients was associated with increased in-hospital mortality.
- ASA did not appear to increase PE risk, despite higher D-dimer levels, but also did not prevent it.
- Addition of LMWH in ASA-treated patients reduced ICU admission but showed a trend towards increased mortality.
Abstract:
Background and Objectives: Aspirin (ASA) is a commonly used antithrombotic drug that has been demonstrated to reduce venous thromboembolism. The aim was to analyze if geriatric COVID-19 patients undergoing a 100 mg/day Aspirin (ASA) treatment prior to hospitalization differ in hospital outcome compared to patients without previous ASA therapy. Materials and Methods: An observational retrospective study was carried out using an anonymized database including geriatric COVID-19 patients (March to April 2020) admitted to Madrid Hospitals Group. A group of COVID-19 patients were treated with low ASA (100 mg/day) prior to COVID-19 infection. Results: Geriatric ASA-treated patients were older (mean age over 70 years; n = 41), had higher frequency of hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and upon admission had higher D-dimer levels than non-ASA-treated patients (mean age over 73 years; n = 160). However, patients under ASA treatment did not show more frequent pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) than non-ASA-treated patients. ASA-treated geriatric COVID-19-infected patients in-hospital < 30 days all-cause mortality was more frequent than in non-ASA-treated COVID-19 patients. In ASA-treated COVID-19-infected geriatric patients, anticoagulant therapy with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) significantly reduced need of ICU care, but tended to increase in-hospital < 30 days all-cause mortality. Conclusions: Prior treatment with a low dose of ASA in COVID-19-infected geriatric patients increased frequency of in-hospital < 30 days all-cause mortality, although it seemed to not increase PE frequency despite D-dimer levels upon admission being higher than in non-ASA users. In ASA-treated geriatric COVID-19-infected patients, addition of LMWH therapy reduced frequency of ICU care, but tended to increase in-hospital < 30 days all-cause mortality.
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