Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir use reduces risk for long COVID in patients with immunodeficiency
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Selected paragraphs
Our findings highlight the potential broad benefit of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in reducing the risk of long COVID among patients with both primary and secondary forms of immunodeficiency.
Long COVID risk reduction with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir use persisted despite controlling for (1) patient demographics, (2) preexisting chronic lung disease, (3) COVID-19 vaccination status, (4) severity of the underlying immunodeficiency, and (5) severity of the acute COVID-19 infection.
These data critically expand on our prior published work showing that patients with IEI are at a higher risk for long COVID, even after adjusting for preexisting chronic lung disease and initial COVID-19 severity (4). These data align with emerging pathomechanism theories in long COVID that suggest dysregulated adaptive immune responses, such as impaired memory T cell function, may drive long COVID risk (5).
Despite their vulnerability, immunodeficient patients have been excluded from several key long COVID trials, limiting the applicability of trial results to this population who may have unique responses to treatments due to their compromised immune systems. Our results underscore the necessity for more inclusive clinical trials that encompass high-risk populations, including those with immunodeficiencies.
Our study showed that among nirmatrelvir/ritonavir-treated immunodeficiency patients, women had a higher risk for long COVID compared with men. Further studies are needed to investigate the underlying causes of this observed gender-based difference.
Web | PDF | Journal of Human Immunity | Research Letter
Gilbert, Karen M.; Aglan, Mostafa; Jogdand, Aditi; Khairnar, Neha V.; Ssemaganda, Henry; Ong, Mei-Sing; Farmer, Jocelyn R.
[Line breaks added]
Selected paragraphs
Our findings highlight the potential broad benefit of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in reducing the risk of long COVID among patients with both primary and secondary forms of immunodeficiency.
Long COVID risk reduction with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir use persisted despite controlling for (1) patient demographics, (2) preexisting chronic lung disease, (3) COVID-19 vaccination status, (4) severity of the underlying immunodeficiency, and (5) severity of the acute COVID-19 infection.
These data critically expand on our prior published work showing that patients with IEI are at a higher risk for long COVID, even after adjusting for preexisting chronic lung disease and initial COVID-19 severity (4). These data align with emerging pathomechanism theories in long COVID that suggest dysregulated adaptive immune responses, such as impaired memory T cell function, may drive long COVID risk (5).
Despite their vulnerability, immunodeficient patients have been excluded from several key long COVID trials, limiting the applicability of trial results to this population who may have unique responses to treatments due to their compromised immune systems. Our results underscore the necessity for more inclusive clinical trials that encompass high-risk populations, including those with immunodeficiencies.
Our study showed that among nirmatrelvir/ritonavir-treated immunodeficiency patients, women had a higher risk for long COVID compared with men. Further studies are needed to investigate the underlying causes of this observed gender-based difference.
Web | PDF | Journal of Human Immunity | Research Letter