RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 COvid MEdicaTion (COMET) study: protocol for a cohort study JF European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy JO Eur J Hosp Pharm FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group SP 191 OP 193 DO 10.1136/ejhpharm-2020-002329 VO 27 IS 4 A1 Roos S G Sablerolles A1 Freija E F Hogenhuis A1 Melvin Lafeber A1 Bob P A van de Loo A1 Sander D Borgsteede A1 Eric Boersma A1 Jorie Versmissen A1 Hugo M van der Kuy A1 , YR 2020 UL http://ejhp.bmj.com/content/27/4/191.abstract AB Various theories about drugs such as ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) in relation to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 are circulating in both mainstream media and medical literature. These are based on the fact that ACE2 facilitates SARS-CoV-2 cell invasion via binding of a viral spike protein to ACE2. However, the effect of ACE inhibitors, ARBs and other drugs on ACE2 is unclear and all theories are based on conflicting evidence mainly from animal studies. Therefore, clinical evidence is urgently needed. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between use of these drugs on clinical outcome of patients with COVID-19. Patients will be included from several hospitals in Europe. Data will be collected in a user-friendly database (Digitalis) on an external server. Analyses will be adjusted for sex, age and presence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes. These results will enable more rational choices for randomised controlled trials for preventive and therapeutic strategies in COVID-19.