Telmisartan for treatment of Covid-19 patients: an open randomized clinical trial - A preliminary report

Abstract Background Covid-19 is associated with respiratory-related morbidity and mortality. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) have been postulated as tentative pharmacological agents to treat Covid-19-induced inflammation. Methods This is a randomized, two-arm, open, multicenter trial. Participants were 18 years or older and had been hospitalized with confirmed Covid-19 with 4 or fewer days since symptom onset. Exclusion criteria included intensive care unit admission prior to randomization and ARB or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors use. Treatment arm received telmisartan 80 mg bid during 14 days plus standard care; control arm received standard care. Primary outcome were differences in C-reactive protein levels at days 5 and 8. Secondary outcomes included time to discharge evaluated at 15 days and death at 30 days post randomization. Results This interim analysis included 40 patients in telmisartan and 38 in control groups. CRP levels in the control and telmisartan groups were 51.1±44.8 mg/L vs 24.2±31.4 mg/L at day 5 (mean ± SD; n=28 and n=32, p<0.05), and 41.6±47.6 mg/L vs 9.0±10.0 mg/L at day 8 (mean ± SD; n=16 and n=13; p<0.05), respectively. Telmisartan treated patients had statistically significant lower time to discharge (log-rank test p=0.0124, median time: 15 days in control group vs 9 days in telmisartan group). Mortality at day 30 was 11.76% in control group vs 5.26% in telmisartan group (p=0.41). Conclusions In this study, ARB telmisartan, a well-known inexpensive safe antihypertensive drug, administered in high doses, was superior to standard care demonstrating anti-inflammatory effects and improved morbidity in hospitalized patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 ( NCT04355936 ).