All-cause mortality in moderate and severe COVID-19 patients with myocardial injury receiving versus not receiving azvudine: a propensity score-matched analysis

Omicron is currently the dominant strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, but little is known about the characteristics and management of omicron related myocardial injury, particularly the potential benefit of the antiviral agent azvudine. METHODS: Patients with confirmed and suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) admitted to Wuhan Union Hospital from December 7, 2022, to December 30, 2022, were included in this study. Cox regression was conducted to identify risk factors for all-cause mortality. A propensity score-matched analysis was performed at a 1:1 ratio with a caliper of 0.1 pooled standard deviations of relevant confounders. RESULTS: The final analysis included a total of 332 patients (167 confirmed cases and 165 suspected cases), 42.77% (142/332) of the patients were 80 years of age or older and 68.67% (228/332) of them were men, 158 patients were treated with azvudine. In the matched cohort, the total mortality was 30.30% (60/198), 40 (20.20%, 40/198) patients received noninvasive ventilation and 22 (11.11%, 22/198) received invasive ventilation, 34 (17.17%, 34/198) patients were admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). The rate of shock, multiple organ damages and arrhythmia were 11.62% (23/198), 20.20% (40/198), and 12.12% (24/198), respectively. There was no significant difference on these clinical outcomes in patients treated with azvudine or not. Azvudine reduced early mortality (within 14 days from admission) (hazard ratio: 0.37, 95% confidence interval: 0.18–0.77) even after adjusting for other treatments including glucocorticoids, immunoglobin and anticoagulant therapy, but not the final in-hospital mortality of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COVID-19-related myocardial injury had a high mortality of about 30.30% (60/198). Azvudine improved the early survival of the patients but not final mortality.