Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors improve the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients with hypertension

• Published in: Emerging microbes & infections Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 757 - 760
• Main Authors: Meng, Juan, Xiao, Guohui, Zhang, Juanjuan, He, Xing, Ou, Min, Bi, Jing, Yang, Rongqing, Di, Wencheng, Wang, Zhaoqin, Li, Zigang, Gao, Hong, Liu, Lei, Zhang, Guoliang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.01.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Aged; Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers - therapeutic use; angiotensin II type1 receptor blockers; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Betacoronavirus; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; CD3 Complex; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - cytology; China; Clinical outcomes; Coronavirus Infections - complications; Coronavirus Infections - drug therapy; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Diuretics; Female; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - complications; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - virology; Interleukin-6 - blood; Letter; Male; Middle Aged; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral - complications; Pneumonia, Viral - drug therapy; Renin-Angiotensin System; Retrospective Studies; SARS-CoV-2; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load; China; COVID-19; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; angiotensin II type1 receptor blockers; Renin-angiotensin system; hypertension
• ISSN: 2222-1751; 2222-1751
• DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1746200

The dysfunction of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been observed in coronavirus infection disease (COVID-19) patients, but whether RAS inhibitors, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs), are associated with clinical outcomes remains unknown. COVID-19 patients with hypertension were enrolled to evaluate the effect of RAS inhibitors. We observed that patients receiving ACEI or ARB therapy had a lower rate of severe diseases and a trend toward a lower level of IL-6 in peripheral blood. In addition, ACEI or ARB therapy increased CD3 and CD8 T cell counts in peripheral blood and decreased the peak viral load compared to other antihypertensive drugs. This evidence supports the benefit of using ACEIs or ARBs to potentially contribute to the improvement of clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients with hypertension.