Association of Use of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers With Testing Positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

This cohort study assesses the association between use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers with the likelihood of testing positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Importance The role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) in the setting of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is hotly debated. There have been recommendations to discontinue these medications, which are essential in the treatment of several chronic disease conditions, while, in the absence of clinical evidence, professional societies have advocated their continued use. Objective To study the association between use of ACEIs/ARBs with the likelihood of testing positive for COVID-19 and to study outcome data in subsets of patients taking ACEIs/ARBs who tested positive with severity of clinical outcomes of COVID-19 (eg, hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and requirement for mechanical ventilation). Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study with overlap propensity score weighting was conducted at the Cleveland Clinic Health System in Ohio and Florida. All patients tested for COVID-19 between March 8 and April 12, 2020, were included. Exposures History of taking ACEIs or ARBs at the time of COVID-19 testing. Main Outcomes and Measures Results of COVID-19 testing in the entire cohort, number of patients requiring hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, and mechanical ventilation among those who tested positive. Results A total of 18472 patients tested for COVID-19. The mean (SD) age was 49 (21) years, 7384 (40%) were male, and 12725 (69%) were white. Of 18472 patients who underwent COVID-19 testing, 2285 (12.4%) were taking either ACEIs or ARBs. A positive COVID-19 test result was observed in 1735 of 18472 patients (9.4%). Among patients who tested positive, 421 (24.3%) were admitted to the hospital, 161 (9.3%) were admitted to an intensive care unit, and 111 (6.4%) required mechanical ventilation. Overlap propensity score weighting showed no significant association of ACEI and/or ARB use with COVID-19 test positivity (overlap propensity score-weighted odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.81-1.15). Conclusions and Relevance This study found no association between ACEI or ARB use and COVID-19 test positivity. These clinical data support current professional society guidelines to not discontinue ACEIs or ARBs in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, further study in larger numbers of hospitalized patients receiving ACEI and ARB therapy is needed to determine the association with clinical measures of COVID-19 severity. Question What is the association of use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) with testing positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)? Findings In this cohort study of 18472 patients, 1322 (7.2%) were taking ACEIs and 982 (5.3%) were taking ARBs. A positive COVID-19 test result was observed in 1735 (9.4%) tested patients, and among all patients with positive test results, 116 (6.7%) were taking ACEIs, and 98 (5.6%) were taking ARBs; there was no association between ACEI/ARB use and testing positive for COVID-19 (overlap propensity score-weighted odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.81-1.15). Meaning These data support various society guidelines to continue current treatment of chronic disease conditions with either ACEI or ARB during the COVID-19 pandemic.