3/25/2020

Anti-inflammatory drugs for COVID19

It is well known anti-inflammatory drugs so called NSAID are not indicated for any viral infection, including COVID19. Ibuprofen, one of the common NSAIDs, is told to exacerbate pneumonia in COVID19. It is not proved medically yet but is quite probable such an anti-inflammatory drug as Ibuprofen delays recovery or even aggravate the course.

https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m1086

NSAID could cause Reye syndrome, fatal liver/brain dysfunction syndrome, when given to the case of Influenza, especially type B. It is not clinically possible to tell COVID19 from Influenza or other common cold due to viruses. Knowing of the possibility to cause Reye syndrome with NSAID, we should not give any anti-inflammatory drugs, even including acetoaminophene, to viral infections. Even though some doctors may prescribe the latter one, which has less adverse effects than the other NSAID.

In rare cases with COVID19 or the other viral infections, a very serious condition named cytokine storm could occur and lead to multiple organ failure. It is a generalized too aggressive immune response to the pathogen. In that case, anti-inflammatory drugs should be tried. But in such a case, the patient is always so serious that he/she should be under the management by doctors at hospital.

Anti-inflammatory drugs give us only symptomatic relief. They should not be used for viral infections including COVID19.

PS;After writing this post, I have noticed this article on this issue. The effect of NSAID on COVID19 is not scientifically elucidated yet. At least, it is not advisable to give this kind of medicine to the patient of COVID19 at present. This article also mentions that ACE blocker has not been proved to deteriorate the course of COVID19.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/03/20/science.abb8034

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