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Calcium channel blockers may reduce the development of long COVID in females

Hypertension Research volume 47, pages 934–943 (2024)Cite this article

Abstract

With the rising numbers of patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)—a sequelae of COVID-19—has become a major problem. Different sexes and age groups develop different long COVID symptoms, and the risk factors for long COVID remain unclear. Therefore, we performed subgroup analyses of patients with COVID-19, classifying them into different groups. In this multicenter cohort study, using an original questionnaire, we examined patients (≥18 years old) diagnosed with COVID-19 from November 2020 to March 2022 and hospitalized at participating medical facilities. In total, 1066 patients were registered (361 female, 620 male). Hypertension was the most common comorbidity (n = 344; 32.5%). Females with hypertension were significantly less likely to develop long COVID symptoms than those without hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.27–0.98; p = 0.043). In females, Ca channel blocker administration, rather than having hypertension, was significantly associated with reductions in the frequency of alopecia (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.03–0.67, p = 0.015), memory impairment (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.02–0.82, p = 0.029), sleeping disorders (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.04–0.67, p = 0.012), tinnitus (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.05–0.98, p = 0.047), sputum (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.10–0.92, p = 0.035), and fever (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.12–0.93, p = 0.036). Several long COVID symptoms, including alopecia, were significantly negatively associated with Ca channel-blocker administration in female patients with long COVID.

Calcium channel blockers may reduce the development of long COVID in females.

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Acknowledgements

Data management and statistical analysis were supported by 3H Medi Solution Inc., Tokyo, Japan (President: Masashi Ando).

Funding

This research was funded by the Health Labor Science Special Research Project (20CA2054 [KF]), and supported by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (JP20nk0101612 [KF], JP20fk0108415 [KF], JP20fk0108452 [KF], JP21fk0108553 [KF], JP21fk0108431 [KF], JP22fk0108510 [KF], JP21fk0108563[SC], JP21fk0108573 [TA], JP22fk0108573 [TA], JP22fk0108513 [HT], JP22wm0325031[MI]) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency PRESTO (JPMJPR21R7 [HN]).

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Takuya Ozawa, Ryusei Kimura

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Takuya Ozawa, Hideki Terai, Ho Namkoong, Kazuma Yagi, Takanori Asakura, Katsunori Masaki, Shotaro Chubachi, Jun Miyata, Keiko Ohgino, Ichiro Kawada & Koichi Fukunaga

  2. Pulmonary Division, Department Internal Medicine, Saiseikai Utsunomiya Hospital, Tochigi, Japan

    Takuya Ozawa & Ichiro Nakachi

  3. Biostatistics Unit, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Keio University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Ryusei Kimura, Ryo Takemura & Masahiro Kondo

  4. Keio Cancer Center, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Hideki Terai

  5. Department of Infectious Diseases, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Ho Namkoong

  6. Department of Dermatology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Keitaro Fukuda

  7. Department of Internal Medicine, Keiyu Hospital, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

    Kazuma Yagi & Junko Kagyo

  8. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kitasato University Kitasato Institute Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Takanori Asakura

  9. Research Centers and Institutes, Health Center, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Ichiro Kawada

  10. Department of Rheumatology, National Hospital Organization Hokkaido Medical Center, Hokkaido, Japan

    Toshio Odani

  11. Department of Medicine, Division of Allergology and Respiratory Medicine, Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Naota Kuwahara

  12. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan

    Makoto Ishii

  13. Department of Health Policy and Management, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Yasunori Sato

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All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting, and revision of the article, decided upon the target journal, and provided approval of the publication. All authors are accountable for this work.

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Correspondence to Hideki Terai or Ryo Takemura.

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Ozawa, T., Kimura, R., Terai, H. et al. Calcium channel blockers may reduce the development of long COVID in females. Hypertens Res 47, 934–943 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-023-01501-w

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