Journal Article

Efficacy and safety of adding fluoxetine to the treatment regimen of hospitalized patients with non‐critical COVID‐19 pneumonia: A double‐blind randomized, placebo‐controlled clinical trial

Ala, Shahram, Ghasemian, Roya, Zarghami, Mehran, Alizadeh Arimi, Fatemeh, Elyasi, Forouzan, Moosazadeh, Mahmood, Sedighi, Faranak, Mehravaran, Hossein

2023

Overview

Introduction Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are considered the drugs, whose effectiveness in viral pandemics has been studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate of adding fluoxetine to the treatment regimen of patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia. Methods This study was a double‐blind randomized placebo controlled clinical trial .36 patients in the fluoxetine and 36 patients in the placebo group were enrolled. Patients in the intervention group were first treated with fluoxetine 10 mg for 4 days and then the dose of 20 mg was continued for 4 weeks. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS V. 22.0. Results There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of clinical symptoms at the beginning of the study and also the score of anxiety and depression, oxygen saturation at the time of hospitalization, mid‐hospitalization and discharge periods. The need for mechanical ventilator support (p = 1.00), the need for admission in the intensive care unit (ICU) (p = 1.00), rate for mortality (p = 1.00), and discharge with relative recovery (p = 1.00) were not significantly different between the two groups. The distribution of CRP within the study groups showed a significant decrease during different time periods (p = 0.001), and although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups on the first day (p = 1.00) and at discharge (p = 0.585), mid‐hospital CRP showed a significant decrease in the fluoxetine group (p = 0.032). Conclusion Fluoxetine resulted in a faster reduction of patients' inflammation without association with depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding fluoxetine to the treatment regimen of hospitalized patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia. According to the Friedman test, the distribution of CRP within the study groups showed a significant decrease during different time periods (p = 0.001). It can be concluded that administration of fluoxetine resulted in a faster reduction of patients' inflammation. Further research and large randomized clinical trials are needed.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,John Wiley and Sons Inc,Wiley
• Subject: Antidepressants / Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation - administration & dosage / Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation - adverse effects / Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation - therapeutic use / anxiety / Anxiety - complications / C-Reactive Protein - analysis / Clinical trials / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - complications / COVID-19 - mortality / COVID-19 - therapy / depression / Depression - complications / Double-Blind Method / Double-blind studies / drug regimens / Female / fluoxetine / Fluoxetine - administration & dosage / Fluoxetine - adverse effects / Fluoxetine - therapeutic use / Hospitalization / Humans / Inflammation - complications / Inflammation - drug therapy / Intensive Care Units / Male / Medical research / Mental disorders / Middle Aged / Original / Patient Discharge / Placebos / Pneumonia / Pneumonia, Viral - complications / Pneumonia, Viral - mortality / Pneumonia, Viral - therapy / Psychotropic drugs / Respiration, Artificial / SARS-CoV-2 / Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - administration & dosage / Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - adverse effects / Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use / Treatment Outcome