Study: Aspirin use linked to decreased COVID-19 mortality

Editor's Note

In this study led by researchers from the University of Maryland School f Medicine, Baltimore, hospitalized COVID-19 patients who took low-dose aspirin daily for their heart health had a 47% lower risk of dying in the hospital than those who did not take aspirin.

This retrospective analysis of 412 patients (98 took aspirin, 314 did not take aspirin) admitted with COVID-19 to multiple US hospitals between March and July also found that aspirin takers were:

• 44% less likely to be put on ventilators
• 43% less likely to be admitted to the ICU.

There were no differences in major bleeding or overt thrombosis between aspirin takers and those who did not take aspirin.

The researchers concluded that aspirin use may be associated with improved outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but they say a randomized controlled trial is needed to assess whether a causal relationship exists between aspirin use and reduced lung injury and mortality.