J Med Virol. 2023 Jan 13. doi: 10.1002/jmv.28496. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Colchicine is one of the most widely studied and best-known anti-inflammatory treatments. This study aimed to assess the effect of colchicine on risk of hospitalisation due to COVID-19; and its effect on susceptibility to and severity of the virus in patients with COVID-19.
METHODS: We carried out a population-based case-control study. The following groups were applied: (1) to assess risk of hospitalisation , cases were patients with a positive PCR who were hospitalised due to COVID-19, and controls without a positive PCR; (2) to assess susceptibility to COVID-19, cases were patients with a positive PCR (hospitalised and non-hospitalised), and the same controls; (3) to determine potential severity , cases were subjects with COVID-19 hospitalised, and controls patients with COVID-19 non-hospitalised. Different electronic, linked, administrative health and clinical databases were used to extract data on socio-demographic variables, comorbidities, and medications dispensed.
RESULTS: The study covered 3,060 subjects with a positive PCR who were hospitalised, 26,757 with a positive PCR who were not hospitalised, and 56,785 healthy controls. After adjustment for socio-demographic variables, comorbidities and other treatments, colchicine did not modify risk of hospitalisation due to COVID-19 (adjusted OR 1.08 (95%CI 0.76-1.53)), patients’ susceptibility to contracting the disease (adjusted OR 1.12 (95%CI 0.91-1.37)) or the severity of the infection (adjusted OR 1.03 (95%CI 0.67-1.59)).
CONCLUSION: Our results would neither support the prophylactic use of colchicine for prevention of the infection or hospitalisation in any type of patient, nor justify the withdrawal of colchicine treatment due to a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PMID:36639903 | DOI:10.1002/jmv.28496
