Ursodeoxycholic Acid Reduces COVID-19 Severity in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Mar 04, 2025 5 hours ago
Medical News: A Promising Treatment for a High-Risk Group
A new study has found that ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a drug commonly used to treat chronic liver diseases, may help reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections in patients with liver conditions. Researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, conducted the study to explore whether UDCA could offer a protective effect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.
Ursodeoxycholic Acid Reduces COVID-19 Severity in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease
Since the pandemic began in 2019, scientists have been searching for ways to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations, including those with preexisting liver diseases. This
Medical News report examines the recent study, which suggests that UDCA might play a crucial role in lowering the risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms in these patients.
Study Design and Key Findings
The study involved 926 patients with chronic liver diseases who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 for the first time between December 2022 and January 2023. These participants were divided into two groups based on whether they were taking UDCA. Researchers carefully matched 309 patients from each group based on age and gender to ensure accurate comparisons.
The results revealed that patients who were taking UDCA had a significantly higher rate of asymptomatic infections. In the UDCA-treated group, 30.1% of patients remained asymptomatic compared to only 6.47% in the non-UDCA group. Statistical analysis confirmed that UDCA was a protective factor against symptomatic COVID-19 infection, with an odds ratio of 4.77. This means that patients on UDCA were nearly five times more likely to avoid symptoms compared to those who were not taking the medication.
Furthermore, UDCA-treated patients experienced milder COVID-19 symptoms. They had lower occurrences of fever, sore throat, cough, loss of taste or smell, muscle pain, and headaches. They also had a shorter duration of illness compared to non-UDCA patients. Another important finding was that UDCA patients had lower levels of key liver function markers such as gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), suggesting potential liver-protective benefits of the drug during viral infection.
The Role of UDCA in Fighting COVID-19
UDCA is known for its ability to regulate bile acids and protect the liver from damage caused by chronic diseases such as hepatitis B, autoimmune hepatitis, and fatty liver disease. However, recent research has suggested that UDCA may also have antiviral properties. Scientists believe that UDCA helps by downregulating angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a receptor on human cells that the SARS-CoV-2 virus uses to enter the body. By reducing the number of ACE2 receptors, UDCA may lower the chances of the virus infecting cells and causing severe illness.
In addition to this mechanism, UDCA is thought to have anti-inflammatory effects. It has been found to reduce excessive immune responses, which can help prevent severe complications in COVID-1
9 patients. The study noted that UDCA-treated patients had a lower risk of developing pneumonia and other serious conditions associated with COVID-19.
Implications and Future Research
These findings suggest that UDCA could be a valuable treatment option for patients with chronic liver disease who are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. However, the researchers emphasized the need for further studies to confirm the drug’s effectiveness in different populations and to understand its exact mechanisms of action.
Since UDCA is already widely used and has a well-established safety profile, it could potentially be repurposed as a supportive therapy for COVID-19 patients. Future clinical trials may help determine the best dosage and treatment strategies for maximizing its benefits.
Conclusion
The study offers strong evidence that UDCA treatment is associated with reduced COVID-19 severity in patients with chronic liver disease. By increasing the likelihood of asymptomatic infections and decreasing the intensity of symptoms, UDCA may serve as a protective agent for vulnerable individuals. This research also highlights the drug’s potential antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, which could be useful in managing other viral infections beyond COVID-19.
While more research is necessary, these findings offer hope for a simple and effective way to improve outcomes for liver disease patients who contract COVID-19. As scientists continue to explore new treatments, UDCA stands out as a promising candidate for reducing the impact of the virus on high-risk groups.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Frontiers in Medicine.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1494248/full
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