Prevalence of COVID-19 and Psychotropic Drug Treatment in Psychiatric In-patients in Germany in 2020: Results from a Nationwide Pilot Survey

Mueller JK, Ahrens KF, Bauer M, Baune BT, Borgwardt S, Deckert J, Domschke K, Ellwanger R, Fallgatter A, Frodl T, Gallinat J, Gottschalk R, Grabe HJ, Hasan A, Herpertz SC, Hurlemann R, Jessen F, Kambeitz J, Kircher T, Kornhuber J, Lieb K, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Rupprecht R, Scherbaum N, Schlang C, Schneider A, Schomerus G, Thoma A, Unterecker S, Walter M, Walter H, Reif A, Reif-Leonhard C (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Book Volume: 56

Pages Range: 227-238

Journal Issue: 6

DOI: 10.1055/a-2177-3056

Abstract

Introduction In patients with a pre-existing mental disorder, an increased risk for a first manifestation of a psychiatric disorder in COVID-19 patients, a more severe course of COVID-19 and an increased mortality have been described. Conversely, observations of lower COVID-19 incidences in psychiatric in-patients suggested protective effects of psychiatric treatment and/or psychotropic drugs against COVID-19. Methods A retrospective multi-center study was conducted in 24 German psychiatric university hospitals. Between April and December 2020 (the first and partly second wave of COVID-19), the effects of COVID-19 were assessed on psychiatric in-patient care, the incidence and course of a SARS-CoV-2 infection, and treatment with psychotropic drugs. Results Patients (n=36,322) were admitted to the hospitals. Mandatory SARS-CoV-2 tests before/during admission were reported by 23 hospitals (95.8%), while 18 (75%) conducted regular testing during the hospital stay. Two hundred thirty-two (0.6%) patients were tested SARS-CoV-2-positive. Thirty-seven (16%) patients were receiving medical treatment for COVID-19 at the psychiatric hospital, ten (4.3%) were transferred to an intermediate/intensive care unit, and three (1.3%) died. The most common prescription for SARS-CoV-2-positive patients was for second-generation antipsychotics (n=79, 28.2%) and antidepressants (SSRIs (n=38, 13.5%), mirtazapine (n=36, 12.9%) and SNRIs (n=29, 10.4%)). Discussion Contrary to previous studies, our results showed a low number of infections and mortality in SARS-CoV-2-positive psychiatric patients. Several preventive measures seem effective to protect this vulnerable group. Our observations are compatible with the hypothesis of a protective effect of psychotropic drugs against COVID-19 as the overall mortality and need for specific medical treatment was low.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt am Main (KGU) Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Münster Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Freiburg Germany (DE) Universität zu Lübeck Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Würzburg Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Tübingen Germany (DE) Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin Greifswald / Universitätsklinikum Greifswald Germany (DE) Universität Augsburg Germany (DE) Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Germany (DE) Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Mannheim Germany (DE) Universität zu Köln Germany (DE) Philipps-Universität Marburg Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz Germany (DE) Universität Regensburg Germany (DE) Universität Duisburg-Essen (UDE) Germany (DE) Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Leipzig Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Jena Germany (DE) Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Mueller, J.K., Ahrens, K.F., Bauer, M., Baune, B.T., Borgwardt, S., Deckert, J.,... Reif-Leonhard, C. (2023). Prevalence of COVID-19 and Psychotropic Drug Treatment in Psychiatric In-patients in Germany in 2020: Results from a Nationwide Pilot Survey. Pharmacopsychiatry, 56(6), 227-238. https://dx.doi.org/10.1055/a-2177-3056

MLA:

Mueller, Juliane K., et al. "Prevalence of COVID-19 and Psychotropic Drug Treatment in Psychiatric In-patients in Germany in 2020: Results from a Nationwide Pilot Survey." Pharmacopsychiatry 56.6 (2023): 227-238.

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