Aspirin’s Lung-Protective Effects Could Decrease Ventilation, ICU Admission and Death in COVID-19 Patients

Researchers have found that aspirin may have lung-protective effects and reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, ICU admission and in-hospital mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

According to the final results of a study by researchers from the George Washington University (Washington, D.C., USA) indicating the lung protective effects of aspirin, low dose of the medicine used to prevent stroke and heart attack may reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, ICU admission and in-hospital mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

In the study involving over 400 patients admitted to hospitals around the US, aspirin use was associated with a decreased risk of mechanical ventilation (44% reduction), ICU admission (43% reduction), and in-hospital mortality (47% reduction) after adjusting for demographics and comorbidities. There were no differences in major bleeding or overt thrombosis between aspirin users and non-aspirin users. Other studies have also confirmed the impact aspirin can have on both preventing infection and reducing risk for severe COVID-19 and death. The researchers hope that their latest study leads to more research on whether a causal relationship exists between aspirin use and reduced lung injury in COVID-19 patients.

“As we learned about the connection between blood clots and COVID-19, we knew that aspirin – used to prevent stroke and heart attack – could be important for COVID-19 patients,” said Jonathan Chow, MD, assistant professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine and director of the Critical Care Anesthesiology Fellowship at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “Our research found an association between low dose aspirin and decreased severity of COVID-19 and death.”

“Aspirin is low cost, easily accessible and millions are already using it to treat their health conditions,” added Chow. “Finding this association is a huge win for those looking to reduce risk from some of the most devastating effects of COVID-19.”

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