Abstract
Chlorpromazine as a Potential Antipsychotic Choice in COVID-19 Treatment.
Highlights
In the context of the ongoing pandemic of CoronaVirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), there are already a lot of available research data considering the stressful impact of “social distancing”, and difficulties that medical professionals experience, dealing with long shifts and frequent death witnessing, possible viruses exposure and above all stigmatization [1]
Considering the urge of these newly established assignments for psychiatrists, and the need to resolve psychotic symptoms in the best manner, we were wondering if antipsychotic treatment could accomplish positive effects, on psychotic symptoms and on somatic state in patients with COVID-19
Some antipsychotics showed to be more efficient in lowering these specific cytokines that were measured to be elevated in COVID-19 patient’s serum, such as risperidone, olanzapine, and aripiprazole [21, 22], so maybe it could be more rational to use these antipsychotics in the first psychotic episode with possible secondary somatic benefits
Summary
In the context of the ongoing pandemic of CoronaVirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), there are already a lot of available research data considering the stressful impact of “social distancing”, and difficulties that medical professionals experience, dealing with long shifts and frequent death witnessing, possible viruses exposure and above all stigmatization [1]. We tried to find rational that the chlorpromazine (CPZ), a first-generation antipsychotic, could be useful in these purposes, considering its structure, and pharmacological origin, as well as anti-inflammatory potential and safety profile The etiopathogenesis of this worldwide spread virus is still unknown, while somatic complications are various and proposed therapeutical protocols are inconsistent [3]. SARS-CoV-2 attacks on hemoglobin, putting the lungs at the same time in a toxic and inflammatory state [10] It is well-known that serum levels of ferritin have been positively associated with inflammation, but opposite, hemoglobin showed a negative correlation [11]. Influenza, SARS-CoV, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-related CoronaVirus (MERS-CoV) infections were shown to be associated with the onset of psychiatric symptoms [15, 16] Based on these understanding, neuropsychiatric consequences of “cytokine storm” seem highly likely in individuals with COVID-19 infection
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