Work

Insight into potential long COVID effects: Antidepressant use in post SARS-CoV-2 Infection scenarios. A multiregional nested case-control study

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the impact of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and the role of vaccination in the onset of neuropsychiatric conditions, evaluated through antidepressant prescriptions.MethodsA case-control study from three Italian Regions, evaluated the risk of new antidepressant prescriptions in relation to previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. The study population consisted of adults who did not receive antidepressant prescriptions in the year preceding the study period considered. Individuals with newly prescribed antidepressants (cases) were matched 1:1 by sex and age to non-users of antidepressants (controls) during the same period. Pooled estimates of regional Odds Ratios (ORs) were obtained from inverse variance-weighted random-effects analyses.FindingsThe population base consisted of 6,658,840 individuals. Those previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 had a higher risk of receiving a new prescription of antidepressants and this association was stronger among those hospitalized due to the infection (non-hospitalized: OR 1·30, 95% CI 1·21-1·40; hospitalized: OR 2·93, 95% CI 2·73-3·15). SARS-CoV-2 vaccination acted as an effect modifier, reducing this excess risk. Among individuals with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, the pooled OR for receiving a new prescription of antidepressants was 3·68 (95% CI = 2·99-4·54) for unvaccinated individuals and 2·42 (95% CI = 2·10-2·78) for those who were vaccinated.InterpretationThe results of this study confirm the role of SARS-CoV-2 infection as a risk factor for the onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Antidepressant treatment initiation was much more likely after severe COVID-19 infection but vaccination reduced such a risk.Funding This study was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health.

Source: Psychiatry Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116290