There are a number of drugs that have no effect, nor are they recommended.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Researchers led by the University of Sydney School of Medicine and Health conducted a clinical review of the relationship between the effects of drugs and the immune response to Covid-19. As a result, there are a number of drugs that have no effect, or even are not recommended.
The study’s lead author, Christina Abdel-Shaheed, said she was initially interested in studying the possible impact of paracetamol (acetaminophen) during the pandemic. This is because many people prepare stock of drugs in the first months of Covid-19.
“We decided to study painkiller and fever medicine in general and were amazed by what we found,” he said News WiseWednesday (2/3/2022).
In 14 years of studying pain, this is the most important research he has ever participated in. His findings were published in the leading journal, the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Dr Christina Abdel-Shaheed from Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, highlighted the need for rigorous clinical trials. The review suggests some common pain and fever medications can work with the immune system to fight infection.
“While others work against it and increase the risk of contracting or responding poorly to infectious diseases,” Abdel-Shaheed said.
Consuming paracetamol or ibuprofen before or immediately after vaccination, for example, is not recommended, as this can reduce the body’s desired immune response to the vaccine. For chickenpox, the use of ibuprofen is not recommended because it can increase the risk of secondary bacterial skin infections.
Infectious disease specialist at Westmead Hospital and researcher at the Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, Dr Justin Beardsley, said an important finding from this review was that morphine, being one of the most commonly used opioid analgesics in post-operative and critical care, said: It suppresses key innate immune cells, thereby increasing the risk of infection.
“This is especially true for cancer patients, who are already susceptible to Covid-19,” he said.
Effort is required to achieve analgesia while avoiding immune suppression in the immediate postoperative period caused by opioids such as morphine. It’s aimed at people undergoing cancer surgery as well as for people with immune disorders in general, says Dr Beardsley, who also works with the Westmead Institute for Medical Research.
Professor Andrew McLachlan said on the plus side, the findings provide new insights for further research to evaluate commonly used drugs to improve outcomes for people undergoing treatment for infectious diseases.
With the urgent need for new treatments for Covid-19 and the decreasing efficacy of some antimicrobial agents due to resistance, there is now a need for drugs that can maintain or enhance the efficacy of anti-infective drug treatments.
“The results of this review suggest that medications commonly used for pain and fever should be explored further as inexpensive and effective adjunct treatments that affect immune and inflammatory pathways for people undergoing treatment for infection,” said Professor McLachlan, Principal and Dean of the School. Pharmacy at the University of Sydney.
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