ACE Inhibitor/ARB Therapy and Other Risk Factors for COVID-19 Infection in Elderly Hypertensive Patients: Sub-Group Analysis Based on a Single-Center, Retrospective, Observational Study in Japan
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design and Data Collection
2.2. Outcome Definition
2.3. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Patient Characteristics
3.2. Risk Factors Associated with COVID-19
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
| ACEI | angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor |
| ALT | alanine transaminase |
| ARB | angiotensin II receptor blocker |
| AST | aspartate transaminase |
| BMI | body mass index |
| BNP | brain natriuretic peptide |
| BP | blood pressure |
| BUN | blood urea nitrogen |
| CI | confidence interval |
| COVID-19 | Coronavirus disease 2019 |
| eGFR | estimated glomerular filtration rate |
| Hct | hematocrit |
| HDL | high-density lipoprotein |
| LDH | lactate dehydrogenase |
| LDL | low-density lipoprotein |
| PCR | polymerase chain reaction |
| PLT | platelets |
| RAS | renin–angiotensin system |
| RBC | red blood cells |
| Scr | serum creatinine |
| T-Bil | total bilirubin |
| WBC | white blood cells |
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| Variables | Total (N = 316) | COVID-19 (+) | COVID-19 (−) | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N = 39 (12.3%) | N = 277 (87.7%) | |||
| Age, years | 75.0 ± 13.4 | 75.0 ± 13.9 | 75.0 ± 13.3 | 0.94 |
| Men, n (%) | 174 (55.1) | 26 (66.7) | 148 (53.4) | 0.12 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 22.0 ± 3.9 | 21.7 ± 3.8 | 22.1 ± 3.9 | 0.56 |
| Smoking, n (%) | 21 (6.6) | 1 (2.6) | 20 (7.2) | 0.49 |
| Systolic BP, mmHg | 143.6 ± 23.3 | 142.2 ± 23.2 | 143.8± 23.4 | 0.99 |
| Diastolic BP, mmHg | 78.8 ± 14.5 | 78.8 ± 15.6 | 78.8 ± 14.4 | 0.86 |
| Dialysis, n (%) | 172 (54.4) | 25 (64.1) | 147 (53.1) | 0.20 |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index | 6 (6–7) | 6 (6–7) | 6 (6–7) | 0.80 |
| Laboratory data | ||||
| Serum Zn, μg/dL | 65.0 (60.0–71.0) | 66.0 (63.0–68.0) | 65.0 (60.0–71.0) | 0.52 |
| Total protein, g/dL | 6.4 (6.1–6.6) | 6.4 (6.0–6.5) | 6.4 (6.1–6.7) | 0.36 |
| T-bil, mg/dL | 0.50 (0.40–0.60) | 0.45 (0.40–0.57) | 0.50 (0.40–0.60) | 0.20 |
| AST, IU/L | 17.0 (14.0–19.7) | 13.0 (11.0–17.0) | 17.0 (14.0–20.0) | 0.07 |
| ALT, IU/L | 12.0 (10.0–15.0) | 12.0 (10.0–14.0) | 12.0 (10.0–16.0) | 0.52 |
| LDH, IU/L | 194.0 (177.0–219.7) | 177.5 (164.0–194.7) | 197.0 (180.0–220.7) | 0.045 * |
| Uric acid, mg/dL | 6.7 (5.9–7.5) | 7.0 (6.4–7.7) | 6.7 (5.7–7.5) | 0.26 |
| BUN, mg/dL | 41.3 (22.6–55.9) | 58.3 (27.2–64.1) | 40.1 (22.3–53.5) | 0.06 |
| Scr, mg/dL | 6.6 (1.0–9.1) | 8.2 (2.9–11.0) | 5.9 (1.0–9.0) | 0.031 * |
| eGFR, mL/min/1.73 m2 | 0.59 | |||
| ≥90 | 13 (4.1) | 2 (5.1) | 11 (4.0) | |
| 60 to 89 | 59 (18.7) | 5 (12.8) | 54 (19.5) | |
| 30 to 59 | 59 (18.7) | 5 (12.8) | 54 (19.5) | |
| 15 to 29 | 10 (3.2) | 1 (2.6) | 9 (3.2) | |
| <15 | 175 (55.4) | 26 (66.7) | 149 (53.8) | |
| Serum sodium, mEq/L | 140.0 (139.0–141.0) | 139.0 (138.0–141.0) | 140.0 (139.0–141.0) | 0.098 |
| Serum potassium, mEq/L | 4.4 (4.1–4.6) | 4.5 (4.2–4.6) | 4.3 (4.1–4.6) | 0.17 |
| Serum chloride, mEq/L | 104.0 (102.0–106.0) | 103.0 (101.0–104.3) | 105.0 (102.0–106.0) | 0.034 * |
| Total cholesterol, mg/dL | 158.5 (146.0–174.0) | 158.5 (145.0–169.0) | 158.5 (146.3–174.7) | 0.46 |
| Triglyceride, mg/dL | 101.0 (83.0–134.0) | 108.0 (87.3–129.0) | 98.0 (82.0–134.0) | 0.59 |
| HDL cholesterol, mg/dL | 50.0 (43.0–59.0) | 45.0 (37.7–53.7) | 51.0 (44.0–60.0) | 0.028 * |
| LDL cholesterol, mg/dL | 92.0 (81.0–103.0) | 95.0 (83.7–109.0) | 90.5 (81.0–103.0) | 0.48 |
| β2-microglobulin, mg/L | 26.2 (24.5–28.9) | 27.9 (26.4–30.8) | 25.8 (24.1–28.1) | 0.032 * |
| Plasma glucose, mg/dL | 127.0 (111.0–140.0) | 128.0 (121.3–148.3) | 126.0 (111.0–139.0) | 0.27 |
| BNP, pg/mL | 81.4 (46.5–165.8) | 105.7 (63.4–225.2) | 80.3 (46.0–160.4) | 0.23 |
| WBC, ×103/μL | 5.7 (5.1–6.5) | 6.8 (5.8–7.1) | 5.6 (5.0–6.3) | 0.048 * |
| RBC, ×106/μL | 3.7 (3.4–4.0) | 3.7 (3.4–3.9) | 3.7 (3.4–4.0) | 0.70 |
| Hemoglobin, g/dL | 11.4 (10.8–12.1) | 11.3 (10.7–11.8) | 11.4 (10.8–12.2) | 0.41 |
| Hct, % | 34.2 (33.0–36.2) | 36.7 (34.7–37.1) | 34.1 (32.9–36.0) | 0.14 |
| PLT, ×103/μL | 200.5 (173.0–232.0) | 228.0 (204.7–242.0) | 197.0 (172.0–230.0) | 0.18 |
| Variables | Total (N = 316) | COVID-19 (+) | COVID-19 (−) | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N = 39 (12.3%) | N = 277 (87.7%) | |||
| Drugs other than antihypertensive drugs | ||||
| Antidiabetic drugs, n (%) | 81 (25.6) | 11 (28.2) | 70 (25.3) | 0.69 |
| Antilipidemic drugs, n (%) | 132 (41.8) | 17 (43.6) | 115 (41.5) | 0.81 |
| Anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs, n (%) | 49 (15.5) | 7 (17.9) | 42 (15.2) | 0.65 |
| Aspirin, n (%) | 57 (18.0) | 10 (25.6) | 47 (17.0) | 0.19 |
| Dexamethasone, n (%) | 5 (1.6) | 1 (2.6) | 4 (1.4) | 0.49 |
| Antihypertensive drugs | ||||
| RAS inhibitor, n (%) | 162 (51.3) | 20 (51.3) | 142 (51.3) | 0.998 |
| Others, n (%) | 154 (48.7) | 19 (48.7) | 135 (48.7) | 0.998 |
| Variables | Unadjusted | Adjusted | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odds Ratio (95% CI) | p | Odds Ratio (95% CI) | p | |
| LDH, IU/L | 0.99 (0.98–1.00) | 0.059 | 0.99 (0.98–1.00) | 0.58 |
| Scr, mg/dL | 1.08 (1.01–1.16) | 0.033 * | 1.10 (1.00–1.20) | 0.046 * |
| Serum chloride, mEq/L | 0.92 (0.85–0.99) | 0.034 * | 0.92 (0.85–0.99) | 0.047 * |
| HDL cholesterol, mg/dL | 0.98 (0.95–0.99) | 0.036 * | 0.98 (0.95–1.00) | 0.057 |
| β2-microglobulin, mg/dL | 1.06 (0.99–1.12) | 0.095 | 1.06 (0.99–1.13) | 0.13 |
| WBC, ×103/μL | 1.01 (0.99–1.02) | 0.47 | 1.01 (0.99–1.02) | 0.399 |
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Furumachi, K.; Higuchi, A.; Kagatsume, T.; Kozaru, M.; Nakamura, T.; Kumagai, E.; Hosohata, K. ACE Inhibitor/ARB Therapy and Other Risk Factors for COVID-19 Infection in Elderly Hypertensive Patients: Sub-Group Analysis Based on a Single-Center, Retrospective, Observational Study in Japan. Pharmacy 2026, 14, 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy14010022
Furumachi K, Higuchi A, Kagatsume T, Kozaru M, Nakamura T, Kumagai E, Hosohata K. ACE Inhibitor/ARB Therapy and Other Risk Factors for COVID-19 Infection in Elderly Hypertensive Patients: Sub-Group Analysis Based on a Single-Center, Retrospective, Observational Study in Japan. Pharmacy. 2026; 14(1):22. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy14010022
Chicago/Turabian StyleFurumachi, Kazuhiro, Akari Higuchi, Tatsuki Kagatsume, Mariko Kozaru, Tsutomu Nakamura, Etsuko Kumagai, and Keiko Hosohata. 2026. "ACE Inhibitor/ARB Therapy and Other Risk Factors for COVID-19 Infection in Elderly Hypertensive Patients: Sub-Group Analysis Based on a Single-Center, Retrospective, Observational Study in Japan" Pharmacy 14, no. 1: 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy14010022
APA StyleFurumachi, K., Higuchi, A., Kagatsume, T., Kozaru, M., Nakamura, T., Kumagai, E., & Hosohata, K. (2026). ACE Inhibitor/ARB Therapy and Other Risk Factors for COVID-19 Infection in Elderly Hypertensive Patients: Sub-Group Analysis Based on a Single-Center, Retrospective, Observational Study in Japan. Pharmacy, 14(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy14010022

