Recent Hydroxychloroquine Use Is Not Significantly Associated with Positive PCR Results for SARS-CoV-2: A Nationwide Observational Study in South Korea
Bae et al.,
Recent Hydroxychloroquine Use Is Not Significantly Associated with Positive PCR Results for SARS-CoV-2: A..,
Viruses 2021, doi:10.3390/v13020329
Retrospective database analysis of prior HCQ usage in South Korea, showing non-statistically significantly lower mortality and cases with treatment.
Although the 30% fewer cases is not statistically significant, it is consistent with the significant 30% fewer cases
[22‑38%] from meta analysis of the
73 cases results to date.
risk of case, 30.3% lower, RR 0.70, p = 0.18, treatment 16 of 743 (2.2%), control 91 of 2,698 (3.4%), NNT 82, odds ratio converted to relative risk, PSM.
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risk of case, 19.5% lower, RR 0.81, p = 0.50, treatment 16 of 743 (2.2%), control 91 of 2,698 (3.4%), odds ratio converted to relative risk, PSM, adjusted for region.
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risk of case, 30.3% lower, RR 0.70, p = 0.30, treatment 16 of 743 (2.2%), control 91 of 2,698 (3.4%), NNT 82, odds ratio converted to relative risk, PSM, adjusted for immunosuppresant use.
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risk of case, 40.2% lower, RR 0.60, p = 0.09, odds ratio converted to relative risk, PSM, HCQ >= 6 months.
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Effect extraction follows pre-specified rules prioritizing more serious outcomes. Submit updates
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Bae et al., 20 Feb 2021, retrospective, propensity score matching, South Korea, peer-reviewed, 8 authors.
Abstract: viruses
Article
Recent Hydroxychloroquine Use Is Not Significantly Associated
with Positive PCR Results for SARS-CoV-2: A Nationwide
Observational Study in South Korea
Seongman Bae 1,† , Byeongzu Ghang 2,† , Ye-Jee Kim 3 , Joon Seo Lim 4 , Sung-Cheol Yun 3 , Yong-Gil Kim 5 ,
Sang-Oh Lee 1 and Sung-Han Kim 1, *
1
2
3
4
5
*
Citation: Bae, S.; Ghang, B.; Kim,
Y.-J.; Lim, J.S.; Yun, S.-C.; Kim, Y.-G.;
Lee, S.-O.; Kim, S.-H. Recent
Hydroxychloroquine Use Is Not
Significantly Associated with Positive
PCR Results for SARS-CoV-2: A
Nationwide Observational Study in
South Korea. Viruses 2021, 13, 329.
https://doi.org/10.3390/v13020329
Academic Editor:
Kenneth Lundstrom
Received: 26 January 2021
Accepted: 15 February 2021
Published: 20 February 2021
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral
with regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional affil-
†
Asan Medical Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Ulsan College of Medicine,
Seoul 05505, Korea; songman.b@gmail.com (S.B.); soleemd@amc.seoul.kr (S.-O.L.)
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University School of Medicine,
Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju 63241, Korea; indream81@naver.com
Asan Medical Center, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Ulsan College of
Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; kimyejee@amc.seoul.kr (Y.-J.K.); ysch97@amc.seoul.kr (S.-C.Y.)
Clinical Research Center, Asan Medical Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan College of
Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; joonseolim@gmail.com
Asan Medical Center, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulsan
College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea; bestmd2000@amc.seoul.kr
Correspondence: kimsunghanmd@hotmail.com or shkimmd@amc.seoul.kr; Tel.: +82-2-3010-3305;
Fax: +82-2-3010-6970
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Abstract: Background: To evaluate the role of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as pre-exposure prophylaxis against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we investigated the prevalence of positive test
results for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing according to recent
HCQ use in patients who had been tested using nationwide health-insurance data of South Korea.
Methods: All adults tested for SARS-CoV-2 from 20 January 2020 to 15 May 2020 were identified.
HCQ users were defined as patients who had been pretreated with HCQ for at least 30 days until the
date of SARS-CoV-2 testing. The prevalence of positive PCR results for SARS-CoV-2 was compared
between HCQ users and nonusers. Results: Of a total of 216,686 individuals who had been tested
for SARS-CoV-2, 743 (0.3%) were pretreated with HCQ. The prevalence of positive results was not
significantly different between HCQ users (2.2%) and nonusers (2.7%; P = 0.35), with an odds ratio
of 0.79 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.48–1.30). Propensity score-matched-cohort analysis showed
similar results in terms of the prevalence of positive results (2.2% in HCQ users vs. 3.1% in nonusers;
P = 0.18), with an odds ratio of 0.69 (95% CI, 0.40–1.19). The rate of positive PCR was not significantly
different in long-term HCQ users (more than 3 or 6 months) compared with nonusers. Conclusions:
In this population-based study, recent exposure to HCQ was not significantly associated with a lower
risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our data do not support the use of HCQ as pre-exposure..
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