The Impact of Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy on Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective, Multicenter Study

Background: Proton pump inhibitor (PPI)–coated prodrugs remain inactive until they enter the alkaline atmosphere of the duodenum, where they are absorbed and transmitted to parietal cells. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of PPI medication on patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their outcomes.

Methods: This was a retrospective, multicenter study conducted at two regional hospitals in Saudi Arabia. All confirmed COVID-19 patients between March 1 and August 15, 2020, were included in the study. The Mann–Whitney U and chi-squared tests were performed to appropriately determine the difference between treatment groups.

Results: Out of 346 patients, 136 (39.3 %) were users of PPIs with standard care, and 210 (60.7%) standard care and the average age was 43.5 years. The mean hospital length of stay in users of PPIs with standard care was 4.25 days. In contrast, the death cases of PPIs with standard care group were 3 cases out of 9 cases.

Conclusion: The impact of PPIs on COVID-19 patients is so far still a debate, and the discovery of novel therapies for COVID-19 is paramount. However, it is important for scientists and treating physicians to thoroughly identify the comorbidities of patients and other treatments before PPI administration.