Question: Are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), specifically fluoxetine hydrochloride, associated with a lower mortality rate among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?
Findings: In this multicenter retrospective cohort study analyzing Cerner electronic health records of 83,584 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 that included 3,401 patients prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a reduced relative risk of mortality was found to be associated with the use of SSRIs – specifically fluoxetine – compared with patients who were not prescribed SSRIs.
Meaning: These findings suggest that SSRI use may reduce mortality among patients with COVID-19, although this may be subject to unaccounted confounding variables; further investigation through large, randomized clinical trials is needed.
