IBUPROFEN doesn’t make coronavirus symptoms worse, a new study has found.
Research, led by experts at King’s College London, found anti-inflammatories are safe for coronavirus patients to use – but warns they probably won’t ease symptoms either.
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It comes after French health minister Olivier Veran suggested that anti-inflammatory drugs could worsen the infection.
And one of the country’s top scientists, Sir Patrick Vallance, suggested people should not take ibuprofen to treat Covid-19.
The NHS also updated its guidance to advise people to take paracetamol, rather than ibuprofen, to ease coronavirus symptoms.
New findings
However, this latest study found there is no evidence for or against the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for patients with Covid-19.
Researchers from KCL and Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, also found that other types of drugs, such as TNF blockers and JAK inhibitors – used to treat arthritis or other forms of inflammation -are safe to use.
The team analysed 89 existing studies on other coronavirus strains, including SARS and MERS, as well as the limited data on Covid-19.
They were looking to find out if certain drugs used by people already suffering from diseases should be avoided if they catch the new virus.
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For example some people with cancer are given immunosuppressive drugs, which can lower the immune system, while others are treated with immunostimulants, which can boost it.
If these patients catch coronavirus, doctors need to know which medications they need to stop taking.
Dr Mieke Van Hemelrijck, a cancer epidemiologist and an author on the paper, said: “This pandemic has led to challenging decision-making about the treatment of Covid-19 patients who were already critically unwell.
“In parallel, doctors across multiple specialities are making clinical decisions about the appropriate continuation of treatments for patients with chronic illnesses requiring immune suppressive medication.”
Other treatments
The researchers also found that low amounts of prednisolone – a steroid used to treat allergies – or tacrolimus therapy – an immunosuppressive drug given to patients who have had an organ transplant – may be helpful in treating Covid-19.
Dr Sophie Papa, a medical oncologist and immunologist and co-author, said: “Current evidence suggests that low dose prednisolone and tacrolimus therapy may have a beneficial impact on the course of coronavirus infections.
“However further investigation is needed.”
As more people catch the disease, researchers will continue to investigate how it interacts with commonly used medications and make further guidance recommendations, it’s reported.
Health officials have previously said that anti-inflammatory drugs are a known risk for people with infectious illnesses because they can decrease the response of the body’s immune system.
But Public Health England (PHE) said there is no published scientific evidence that the drug increases the risk of catching coronavirus or makes the illness worse.
PHE added that most people with Covid-19 will have a mild illness and some people may need to take medicines, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, to help with raised temperature, headache and other pains.
Paracetamol preferred
Experts suggest that paracetamol is better at relieving symptoms caused by infection such as fever.
Dr Tom Wingfield, senior clinical lecturer and honorary consultant physician at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, said: “In the UK, paracetamol would generally be preferred over non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen, to relieve symptoms caused by infection such as fever.
“This is because, when taken according to the manufacturer’s and/or a health professional’s instructions in terms of timing and maximum dosage, it is less likely to cause side effects.
“Side effects associated with NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, especially if taken regularly for a prolonged period, are stomach irritation and stress on the kidneys, which can be more severe in people who already have stomach or kidney issues.”
Professor Ian Jones, virologist at the University of Reading, added: “The advice relates to ibuprofen’s anti-inflammatory properties, that is, it dampens down the immune system, which may slow the recovery process.
“In addition, it is likely, based on the substantial literature around Sars I and the similarities this new virus (Sars-CoV-2) has to Sars I, that the virus reduces a key enzyme which part-regulates the water and salt concentration in the blood and could be part of the pneumonia seen in extreme cases.
“Ibuprofen aggravates this while paracetamol does not. It is recommended that people use paracetamol to reduce temperature if you are feverish.”
