Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35185237›Full record

ArticleNeurologia (Barcelona, Spain)2022

[Valproic Acid Could Help in the Fight Against COVID-19: a case-control study].

Oscar Moreno-Pérez, Esperanza Merino, Jose Manuel Ramos, Juan Carlos Rodríguez, Carmina Diaz, Patricio Mas, Sergio Reus, Rosario Sánchez-Martínez, Vicente Boix, Pablo Chico-Sánchez and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract readEnglish Abstract
In one paragraph

Article in Neurologia (Barcelona, Spain), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Oscar Moreno-PérezEndocrinology and Nutrition department, Alicante General University Hospital - Alicante Institute of Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Esperanza MerinoUnit of Infectious Diseases, Alicante General University Hospital - Alicante Institute of Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Jose Manuel RamosInternal Medicine department, Alicante General University Hospital - Alicante Institute of Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Juan Carlos RodríguezMicrobiology department, Alicante General University Hospital - Alicante Institute of Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Carmina DiazNeurology department, Alicante General University Hospital - Alicante Institute of Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Patricio MasPharmacy department, Alicante General University Hospital - Alicante Institute of Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Sergio ReusUnit of Infectious Diseases, Alicante General University Hospital - Alicante Institute of Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Rosario Sánchez-MartínezInternal Medicine department, Alicante General University Hospital - Alicante Institute of Sanitary and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Vicente BoixUnit of Infectious Diseases, Alicante General University Hospital - Alicante Institute of Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Pablo Chico-SánchezPreventive department, Alicante General University Hospital - - Alicante Institute of Sanitary and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
José Sánchez-PayáPreventive department, Alicante General University Hospital - - Alicante Institute of Sanitary and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Joaquín PortillaInternal Medicine department, Alicante General University Hospital - Alicante Institute of Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain.
Universitat de Miguel Hernández d'Elx · ESHospital General Universitario de Alicante Doctor Balmis · ES

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThere is early evidence about Valproic acid (VPA) antiviral effect. Our aim was to investigate the incidence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in VPA users as compared with the general population. MATERIAL AND

methodsA case-control study nested within a cohort, carried out between March 1 and December 17, 2020. Retrospectively, we identified confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection patients exposed to VPA in our health department (defined as case). We ascertained VPA regimen (all the time (AT)(292 days) or at least 20% of the study period (notAT)(≥58 days) and if VPA levels were in therapeutic range (ATR) (50-100 mcg/mL) in the last 24 months. We calculated the cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospital admission in the cases, comparing it with the general unexposed VPA population (controls).

resultsDuring the study period, 6183 PCR+ were detected among 281035 inhabitants, of these, 746 were hospitalized. 691 patients were on VPA notAT and 628 (90.1%) AT. The indication for VPA use was epilepsy in 54.9%. The incidence of PCR+ was 1.736 % (OR 0.785 (95%CI 0.443-1.390) and 1.910 % (OR 0.865 (95%CI 0.488-1.533), on VPA notAT and VPA AT patients, respectively vs. 2.201% in people without VPA regimen. Those patients with VPA ATR had a lower risk of PCR + (OR 0.233 (95%CI 0.057-0.951) notAT; OR 0.218 (95%CI 0.053-0.890) AT). Hospital admission incidence was lower in patient on VPA (OR was 0.543 (95% CI 0.076 to 3.871).

conclusionPatients with VPA within the therapeutic range had a reduction of SARS-Cov-2 infection incidence greater than 75%. There is a downward trend in the risk of COVID-19 admission by SARS-CoV-2 in patients on VPA therapy. These findings warrant further investigation.

Identifiers

PMID35185237
PMCPMC8841207
OpenAlexW4213002167

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.