Effects of anticoagulants and anti-platelets administration on COVID-19 outcome in hospitalized patients of the educational hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences using a data mining approach

Although using anticoagulants and antiplatelet is common in management of COVID-19, its effectiveness, necessity and indications are not clear. In this study we investigated the effects of these drugs on COVID-19 outcome including fatality and length of stay (LOS).

The study was performed with data mining method on 6054 electronic records of the confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the educational hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences. Investigation of the association with fatality was with logistic regression and investigation of the association with LOS was with Poisson regression.

Chi square analysis showed that male gender, ICU admission, heparins and aspirin were associated with increased fatality (P <0.05 for gender and P <0.001 for the others). After adjusting the effects of the covariates in logistic regression, the risk effect of heparin was removed (P =0.550). Marginal analysis plot showed that heparin administration for ages more than 60 was associated with mortality reduction in ICU admitted patients. None of these drugs could reduce LOS.

This study showed that heparin has no effect on COVID-19 fatality. Heparin could reduce risk of death in ICU admitted patients with age more than 60. Aspirin showed increased risk of fatality which does not necessarily mean a harmful effect. After completing the evidence, we can assay risk of thrombosis before heparin administration.