Don't judge too RAShly: the multifaceted role of the renin-angiotensin system and its therapeutic potential in COVID-19

摘要

to the editor: We read with great interest the recent Letter by Abassi and colleagues (1) highlighting-among others-the emerging role of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) as both potential mediator as well as therapeutic target in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and subsequent development of COVID-19. The requirement for binding of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a prerequisite for host cell infection (7), and the recent observation that patients treated with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have a worse outcome (6), has fueled the recognition of a putative mechanistic role of the RAS in COVID-19.