biostudies-literatureUnknown31Hoertel N<h4>Aims</h4>To examine the association between benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA) use and mortality in patients hospitalised for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).<h4>Methods</h4>A multicentre observational study was performed at Greater Paris University hospitals. The sample involved 14 381 patients hospitalised for COVID-19. A total of 686 (4.8%) inpatients received a BZRA at hospital admission at a mean daily diazepam-equivalent dose of 19.7 mg (standard deviation (s.d.) = 25.4). The study baseline was the date of admission, and the primary endpoint was death. We compared this endpoint between patients who received BZRAs and those who did not in time-to-event analyses adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, medical comorbidities and other medications. The primary analysis was a Cox regression model with inverse probability weighting (IPW).<h4>Results</h4>Over a mean follow-up of 14.5 days (s.d. = 18.1), the primary endpoint occurred in 186 patients (27.1%) who received BZRAs and in 1134 patients (8.3%) who did not. There was a significant association between BZRA use and increased mortality both in the crude analysis (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.20; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.74-3.74; p < 0.01) and in the IPW analysis (HR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.31-1.98, p < 0.01), with a significant dose-dependent relationship (HR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.08-2.22; p = 0.02). This association remained significant in sensitivity analyses. Exploratory analyses indicate that most BZRAs may be associated with an increased mortality among patients hospitalised for COVID-19, except for diazepam, which may be associated with a reduced mortality compared with any other BZRA treatment.<h4>Conclusions</h4>BZRA use may be associated with an increased mortality among patients hospitalised for COVID-19, suggesting the potential benefit of decreasing dose or tapering off gradually these medications when possible.Epidemiology and psychiatric sciencese18https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8967698biostudies-literatureAssociation between benzodiazepine receptor agonist use and mortality in patients hospitalised for COVID-19: a multicentre observational study.PMC8967698Neuraz AOlfson MHoertel NAiragnes GBeeker NVernet RLemogne CGulbins ESanchez-Rico MBlanco CAlvarado JMAP-HP/Université de Paris/INSERM COVID-19 Research Collaboration/AP-HP COVID CDR Initiative/‘Entrepôt de Données de Santé’ AP-HP ConsortiumKornhuber JArnaout MLimosin FCougoule CMeneton PfalseAssociation between benzodiazepine receptor agonist use and mortality in patients hospitalised for COVID-19: a multicentre observational study.<h4>Aims</h4>To examine the association between benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA) use and mortality in patients hospitalised for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).<h4>Methods</h4>A multicentre observational study was performed at Greater Paris University hospitals. The sample involved 14 381 patients hospitalised for COVID-19. A total of 686 (4.8%) inpatients received a BZRA at hospital admission at a mean daily diazepam-equivalent dose of 19.7 mg (standard deviation (s.d.) = 25.4). The study baseline was the date of admission, and the primary endpoint was death. We compared this endpoint between patients who received BZRAs and those who did not in time-to-event analyses adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, medical comorbidities and other medications. The primary analysis was a Cox regression model with inverse probability weighting (IPW).<h4>Results</h4>Over a mean follow-up of 14.5 days (s.d. = 18.1), the primary endpoint occurred in 186 patients (27.1%) who received BZRAs and in 1134 patients (8.3%) who did not. There was a significant association between BZRA use and increased mortality both in the crude analysis (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.20; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.74-3.74; p < 0.01) and in the IPW analysis (HR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.31-1.98, p < 0.01), with a significant dose-dependent relationship (HR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.08-2.22; p = 0.02). This association remained significant in sensitivity analyses. Exploratory analyses indicate that most BZRAs may be associated with an increased mortality among patients hospitalised for COVID-19, except for diazepam, which may be associated with a reduced mortality compared with any other BZRA treatment.<h4>Conclusions</h4>BZRA use may be associated with an increased mortality among patients hospitalised for COVID-19, suggesting the potential benefit of decreasing dose or tapering off gradually these medications when possible.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Mar2025-04-04T22:17:46.318Z2025-04-04T22:17:46.318ZS-EPMC89676983535267410.1017/S2045796021000743