Risk Factors for Seeking Medical Care Following Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) Treatment for COVID-19: “Symptom Rebound”

Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (NPR) has been approved for treating mild to moderate COVID-19 in high-risk adults but concerns about rebound effects have limited its use. This study aimed to identify individuals at risk of seeking medical care among high-risk non-hospitalized patients treated with NPR...

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Main Authors: Ashish Bhargava, Susan Szpunar, Mamta Sharma, Louis Saravolatz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Viruses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/782
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author Ashish Bhargava
Susan Szpunar
Mamta Sharma
Louis Saravolatz
author_facet Ashish Bhargava
Susan Szpunar
Mamta Sharma
Louis Saravolatz
author_sort Ashish Bhargava
collection DOAJ
description Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (NPR) has been approved for treating mild to moderate COVID-19 in high-risk adults but concerns about rebound effects have limited its use. This study aimed to identify individuals at risk of seeking medical care among high-risk non-hospitalized patients treated with NPR from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022, at our institution. Our outcome variable was the composite of subsequent evaluation in the Emergency Department or inpatient admission within four weeks of their NPR treatment. Of 369 patients who received NPR treatment, the mean (SD) age was 59.3 (±13.8) years; 64% (236) were female, and 77.7% (281) were white. The incidence of the composite event was 6.8% (25/369). In multivariable logistic regression, factors for seeking medical care following NPR treatment were female sex (OR 4.6; 95% CI 1.4–15.3; <i>p</i> = 0.013), myocardial infarction (OR 4.1; 95% CI 1.4–11.8; <i>p</i> = 0.011), chronic lung disease (CLD) except asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR = 3.9, 95% CI 1.1–13.5; <i>p</i> = 0.03), and diabetes mellitus with complications (OR 6.9; 95% CI 2.0–23.3; <i>p</i> = 0.002) while alcohol users (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.2–0.9; <i>p</i> = 0.038) were less likely to seek medical care. Larger cohorts are necessary to further assess and confirm these risk factors.
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spelling doaj-art-2f628ac004b747a085068fc629fde7e92025-08-20T03:26:52ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-05-0117678210.3390/v17060782Risk Factors for Seeking Medical Care Following Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) Treatment for COVID-19: “Symptom Rebound”Ashish Bhargava0Susan Szpunar1Mamta Sharma2Louis Saravolatz3Department of Medicine, Thomas Mackey Center for Infectious Disease Research, Henry Ford St. John Hospital, 19251 Mack Avenue, Suite 340, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236, USADepartment of Medicine, Thomas Mackey Center for Infectious Disease Research, Henry Ford St. John Hospital, 19251 Mack Avenue, Suite 340, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236, USADepartment of Medicine, Thomas Mackey Center for Infectious Disease Research, Henry Ford St. John Hospital, 19251 Mack Avenue, Suite 340, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236, USADepartment of Medicine, Thomas Mackey Center for Infectious Disease Research, Henry Ford St. John Hospital, 19251 Mack Avenue, Suite 340, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236, USANirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (NPR) has been approved for treating mild to moderate COVID-19 in high-risk adults but concerns about rebound effects have limited its use. This study aimed to identify individuals at risk of seeking medical care among high-risk non-hospitalized patients treated with NPR from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022, at our institution. Our outcome variable was the composite of subsequent evaluation in the Emergency Department or inpatient admission within four weeks of their NPR treatment. Of 369 patients who received NPR treatment, the mean (SD) age was 59.3 (±13.8) years; 64% (236) were female, and 77.7% (281) were white. The incidence of the composite event was 6.8% (25/369). In multivariable logistic regression, factors for seeking medical care following NPR treatment were female sex (OR 4.6; 95% CI 1.4–15.3; <i>p</i> = 0.013), myocardial infarction (OR 4.1; 95% CI 1.4–11.8; <i>p</i> = 0.011), chronic lung disease (CLD) except asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR = 3.9, 95% CI 1.1–13.5; <i>p</i> = 0.03), and diabetes mellitus with complications (OR 6.9; 95% CI 2.0–23.3; <i>p</i> = 0.002) while alcohol users (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.2–0.9; <i>p</i> = 0.038) were less likely to seek medical care. Larger cohorts are necessary to further assess and confirm these risk factors.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/782Paxlovidnirmatrelvir–ritonavirrisk factorspredictorsCOVID-19
spellingShingle Ashish Bhargava
Susan Szpunar
Mamta Sharma
Louis Saravolatz
Risk Factors for Seeking Medical Care Following Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) Treatment for COVID-19: “Symptom Rebound”
Viruses
Paxlovid
nirmatrelvir–ritonavir
risk factors
predictors
COVID-19
title Risk Factors for Seeking Medical Care Following Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) Treatment for COVID-19: “Symptom Rebound”
title_full Risk Factors for Seeking Medical Care Following Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) Treatment for COVID-19: “Symptom Rebound”
title_fullStr Risk Factors for Seeking Medical Care Following Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) Treatment for COVID-19: “Symptom Rebound”
title_full_unstemmed Risk Factors for Seeking Medical Care Following Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) Treatment for COVID-19: “Symptom Rebound”
title_short Risk Factors for Seeking Medical Care Following Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) Treatment for COVID-19: “Symptom Rebound”
title_sort risk factors for seeking medical care following nirmatrelvir ritonavir paxlovid treatment for covid 19 symptom rebound
topic Paxlovid
nirmatrelvir–ritonavir
risk factors
predictors
COVID-19
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/782
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