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The Impact of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use on the Clinical Outcomes of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

2 Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

3 Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

4 Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

5 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

10.30476/jhsss.2024.104017.1966

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus has impacted people and healthcare systems globally. Despite the positive impact of vaccinations in curbing transmission, the emergence of new variants remains a concern. Thus, it is crucial to explore therapeutic interventions that can mitigate the severity of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Considering the probable anti-inflammatory properties of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), recent findings suggested that the acute administration of SSRIs in COVID-positive individuals may have alleviated symptom severity. This retrospective observational study aimed to assess the impact of SSRI use on the outcome of hospitalized COVIDpositive patients.
Methods: In this retrospective observational study, a comprehensive analysis of electronic health records of 9815 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Shahid Faghihi hospital, Shiraz, Iran, from July 2020 to March 2021 was conducted, capturing demographic and clinical data. Employing R software, we used a logistic regression model, with mortality as the primary outcome and SSRI usage as the variable of interest.
Results: A total of 167 patients received medications of the SSRI family during the course of hospital admission. Following adjustment for age, gender, and race, the analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in mortality odds between COVID-19-positive patients on SSRIs and those not receiving SSRI treatment.
Conclusion: This s tudy confirms t he v alue of leveraging extensive clinical databases to identify potentially beneficial drugs for managing COVID-19. Given the burden of pandemics caused by novel pathogens, rigorous evaluation of the safety and efficacy of repurposed medications is paramount.

Highlights

Laleh Mahmoudi (Google Scholar)

Dena Firouzabadi (Google Scholar)

Keywords

References
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Journal of Health Sciences & Surveillance System
Volume 14, Issue 1
January 2026
Pages 80-86
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