Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42093120›Full record

Observational studyImmunity, inflammation and disease2026

Impact of Early COVID-19 Antiviral Therapy on the Incidence of Uveitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using the TriNetX Database.

Hou-Ting Kuo, Alan Y Hsu, De-Yi Liu, Bing-Qi Wu, James Cheng-Chung Wei, Ning-Yi Hsia, Yi-Ching Shao, Chun-Ting Lai, Chun-Chi Chiang, Chun-Ju Lin and 5 more

Abstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Immunity, inflammation and disease, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

15 authors.

Hou-Ting KuoDepartment of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Alan Y HsuDepartment of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2125-9495
De-Yi LiuDepartment of General Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Bing-Qi WuDepartment of General Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9123-5389
James Cheng-Chung WeiDepartment of Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1235-0679
Ning-Yi HsiaDepartment of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Yi-Ching ShaoDepartment of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Chun-Ting LaiDepartment of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Chun-Chi ChiangDepartment of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Chun-Ju LinDepartment of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7880-9198
Huan-Sheng ChenAn-Shin Dialysis Center, Excelsior Renal Service Co. Ltd. Taiwan Branch, Taichung, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2489-6601
Yu-Hsun WangDepartment of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Hsin TsengDepartment of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Ho-Che HsuDepartment of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Yi-Yu TsaiDepartment of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2751-9270

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo assess whether antivirals are associated with a reduced incidence of uveitis following COVID-19.

methodsWe conducted a multi-institutional, population-based retrospective cohort study of adults (≥ 18 years) diagnosed with COVID-19 between 2022 and 2024. Patients who received antiviral agents (Paxlovid, Molnupiravir, or Remdesivir) within 5 days of diagnosis were matched 1:1 with untreated controls using propensity score matching. Patients with pre-existing uveitis, early-onset uveitis within 5 days of the index date, or underlying systemic inflammatory or infectious diseases were excluded. The primary outcome was new-onset uveitis, with hazard ratios (HRs) calculated across follow-up intervals.

resultsAfter matching, 438,455 patients were included in both the antiviral and non-antiviral groups. Antiviral therapy was associated with a significantly lower risk of uveitis at 3 months (HR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.45-0.87), 6 months (HR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.54-0.87), 1 year (HR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.64-0.91), 3 years (HR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.70-0.92), and all duration (HR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.71-0.93). Subgroup analysis revealed consistent benefit across all age groups, with females experiencing greater protection than males. Significant reductions in uveitis risk were observed among patients with diabetes (HR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.52-0.89), hyperlipidemia (HR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65-0.95), and heart failure (HR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.30-0.90). Among the antivirals, Paxlovid was associated with a significant risk reduction (HR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.71-0.96), whereas Molnupiravir and Remdesivir showed no statistically significant effect. CEV classification did not show significant improvement. Besides, the risk reduction was evident regardless of prior COVID-19 vaccination status.

conclusionsEarly antiviral treatment for COVID-19 such as Paxlovid, is associated with a reduced risk of uveitis. These findings suggest that, in addition to mitigating systemic disease progression, antiviral therapy may confer ocular protective effects, which could be especially meaningful for high-risk populations.

Indexed as

Antiviral AgentsCOVID-19COVID-19 Drug TreatmentUveitisAdultAgedDatabases, FactualFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesAntiviral AgentsantiviralCOVID‐19uveitis

Identifiers

PMID42093120
PMCPMC13149768

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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.