A new research has suggested that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and COX-2 inhibitors, may not increase the risk of COVID-19 related complications or mortality. 

During the pandemic, there have been concerns about the use of NSAIDs in people infected with SARS-CoV-2. A study assessed whether pre-existing use of NSAIDs was linked with increased COVID 19 severity in over 78000 patients in England, Scotland and Wales. The researchers also compared in-hospital mortality and disease severity outcomes in two propensity score-matched groups, each with 4205 patients who took or didn’t take NSAIDs. THE study evaluated ibuprofen, diclofenac, ketorolac, naproxen, oxicams and COX-2 inhibitors. . The results concluded that there were no differences between the two groups at hospital admission in terms of COVID 19 severity. In the study published in the Lancet Rheumatology, the researchers also found no significant association between NSAID use and in-hospital mortality. Besides there was no association between pre-existing NSAID use and critical care admission, the need for invasive or non-invasive ventilation, oxygen requirements or the incidence of acute kidney injury. There was no increased mortality with the use of any NSAIDs.