Publication date: Feb 17, 2025

Illicit substance use (ISU) may be a potential predisposing factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes. To conduct a propensity score-matching analysis to assess and compare the mortality rate of individuals who reported ISU among a sizable cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Brazil. This population-based retrospective cohort study analyzed a nationwide Brazilian database of patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Eligible patients were aged >18 years and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary exposure of interest was ISU, defined as substances prohibited under Brazilian law, primarily marijuana, cocaine, and crack. Statistical analysis was performed using t-tests, chi-square tests, the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique to create a balanced comparison group, and the McNemar test for paired samples to assess mortality risk among patients with ISU. In a cohort of 2,124,285 patients, 1,845 had ISU. The mortality rate in the ISU group was slightly higher than that in the non-ISU group (33% vs. 32%). After PSM, we found a higher odds ratio for death in patients with ISU (OR 2. 18; 95% CI 1. 85-2. 57; p 

Semantics

Original Article