N-Acetylcysteine Reduces Mortality Among hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

A recent study has shed light on the potential benefits of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) in reducing mortality rates among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. NAC, a well-known mucolytic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agent, has been the subject of interest due to its potential to mitigate the severity of COVID-19. The findings were published in Revista Clínica Española.

Conducted as a retrospective single-center cohort study, researchers analyzed the medical records of 378 patients admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 between March and April 2020. Among the patients, 51.9% were men, with an average age of 73.3 ± 14.5 years. The most common symptoms observed were cough, fever, and/or dyspnea, reported by more than 70% of the patients. Out of the total cohort, 52.6% (199 patients) received treatment with N-Acetylcysteine.

The overall hospital mortality rate in the study was 26.7%. To determine the factors influencing mortality, a multivariate analysis using logistic regression was performed. The results identified several risk factors that were independently associated with higher mortality rates during hospital admission, including patients older than 80, moderate or severe radiologic affectation measured by the RALE score, tobacco consumption, and previous arrhythmia.

The most notable finding was that patients treated with N-Acetylcysteine exhibited a significantly lower mortality rate compared to those who did not receive the treatment. The use of NAC was identified as a protective factor, reducing the odds of mortality in COVID-19 patients. The odds ratio (OR) for mortality among NAC-treated patients was 0.57 (CI95%: 0.31−0.99), indicating a meaningful positive impact.

Additionally, the study noted a potential protective factor associated with asthma, although it did not reach statistical significance in this particular cohort.

The study's results suggest that the treatment with N-Acetylcysteine may play a crucial role in improving outcomes for COVID-19 patients. Its mucolytic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties could be contributing to its beneficial effects, leading to a lower mortality rate and a more favorable disease progression.

However, the researchers emphasized the importance of future prospective studies or randomized clinical trials to further validate and confirm the impact of N-Acetylcysteine on COVID-19 patients. While the current study provides valuable insights, more extensive research is necessary to establish NAC's efficacy as a mainstream therapeutic option for COVID-19.

Source:

Ángeles Galindo-Andúgar, M., Arias Arias, Á., Alfonso García Guerra, J., Fernández Visier, I., Manuel Fernández Ibáñez, J., & Bellido Maldonado, A. (2023). N-Acetylcysteine reduces mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study. In Revista Clínica Española (English Edition). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rceng.2023.07.006