Evaluation of Zinc Sulfate as an Adjunctive Therapy in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients: a Two Center Propensity-score Matched Study
Abstract Background: Zinc is a trace element that plays a role in stimulating innate and acquired immunity. The role of zinc in critically ill patients with COVID-19 remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of zinc sulfate as adjunctive therapy in critically ill patients with COVID-19.Methods: Patients aged ≥ 18 years with a COVID-19 who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in two tertiary hospitals in Saudi Arabia were retrospectively assessed for zinc use, from 01 March 2020 until 31-December 2020. We assessed the association of zinc use as adjunctive therapy with the in-hospital and 30-day mortality after propensity score matching. Secondary outcomes included mechanical ventilation (MV) duration, ICU length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, and complication (s) during ICU stay. Results: A total of 266 patients were included in this study after using propensity score matching. Zinc sulfate as adjunctive therapy during ICU stay was not associated with statistically significant reduction in 30-day mortality nor in-hospital mortality compared to those who did not receive zinc (HR= 0.65 CI = 0.41,1.01; p= 0.05 and HR= 0.67 CI = 0.45,1.00; p= 0.05; respectively). Moreover, MV duration (Beta coefficient 0.10 CI = -0.19,0.39; p= 0.48), ICU LOS (Beta coefficient 0.19 CI = -0.02,0.40; p=0.08) and hospital LOS (Beta coefficient 0.15 CI = -0.02,0.32; p=0.08) were not statistically significant between the two groups. Patients who received zinc have a higher odds of acute kidney injury (AKI) during ICU stay (OR= 1.80 CI = 1.08-3.0; p= 0.02). Conclusion: Zinc sulfate as adjunctive therapy in critically ill patients with COVID-19 may have survival benefit; however, was not statistically significant. Zinc use was linked with an increased risk of AKI development during ICU stay.