A Preventive Study on Hydroxychloroquine Prophylaxis against COVID-19 in Health Care Workers at a Tertiary Care Center in North India
Bhandari et al.,
A Preventive Study on Hydroxychloroquine Prophylaxis against COVID-19 in Health Care Workers at a Tertiary..,
International Journal of Medicine and Public Health, doi:10.5530/ijmedph.2021.1.4
Retrospective 4,239 healthcare workers using HCQ prophylaxis showing no mortality, 8 mild symptomatic cases, and 85 asymptomatic cases, with the cases occuring mostly in the first week.
Bhandari et al., 28 Feb 2021, India, peer-reviewed, 10 authors.
Abstract: Int J Med. Public Health. 2021; 11(1):24-27.
A Multifaceted Peer Reviewed Journal in the field of Medicine and Public Health
www.ijmedph.org | www.journalonweb.com/ijmedph
Original Article
A Preventive Study on Hydroxychloroquine Prophylaxis against
COVID-19 in Health Care Workers at a Tertiary Care Center in
North India
Sudhir Bhandari1, Govind Rankawat2,*, Shivam Priydarshi1, Nachiketa Vyas1, Ajeet Singh1, Raman Sharma1, Vishal
Gupta1, Shrikant Sharma1, Nidhi Gupta3, Monisha Singhal3
ABSTRACT
Sudhir Bhandari1,
Govind Rankawat2,*,
Shivam Priydarshi1,
Nachiketa Vyas1, Ajeet
Singh1, Raman Sharma1,
Vishal Gupta1, Shrikant
Sharma1, Nidhi Gupta3,
Monisha Singhal3
Department of General Medicine, SMS
Medical College and Attached Group of
Hospital, Jaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA.
2
Department of General Medicine, SMS
Medical College, Jaipur, Rajasthan,
INDIA.
3
Department of Biotechnology, IIS
(Deemed to be University), Mansarovar,
Jaipur, INDIA.
Background: The menace of COVID-19 has put a huge burden on health care system
predisposing health care workers engaged in management to COVID-19 infections. The nonavailability of effective drug against COVID-19 warrants extra cover as prophylactic therapy
for health care workers, especially against transmission from asymptomatic patients.
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for prophylaxis of COVID-19 had been advocated by some
researchers. Hence, in this project, evaluation of HCQ as preventive strategy for healthcare
workers against COVID-19 infection was studied. Materials and Methods: HCQ was
prescribed as a prophylactic therapy as per the advisory of National Task Force of Indian Council
of Medical Research, India. The data regarding consumption profile, COVID-19 infection and
adverse drug reaction profile of HCQ in healthcare workers was collected. Results: Record of
4,239 health workers with hydroxychloroquine consumed was available till date. 139 subjects
were dropped out of study as they did not consume the HCQ tablets. 93 heath workers
(2.19%) were infected with COVID-19 infection but in early weeks of prophylactic therapy and
were asymptomatic. A few of them (08 patients) had mild symptomatic manifestation with
RT- PCR reported positive for SARS-CoV-2. No mortality was reported as among healthcare
workers, engaged in management of COVID-19 patients at the tertiary care institute in Jaipur,
India. HCQ prophylaxis in standard doses produced predominantly gastrointestinal side effects
in 20 subject and headache in 10 health workers. Conclusion: The present study showed
that HCQ prophylaxis is safe and effective in standard doses against COVID-19 infection. The
frontline workers engaged in management of COVID-19 may be given HCQ prophylaxis as
an extra cover. However, it’s broadening usage as preventive strategy, in general for people
especially in cardiovascular incidences; require enhanced research and further validation.
Key words: Adverse drug reaction, COVID-19, Health workers, Hydroxychloroquine,
Prophylaxis.
1
Correspondence
Dr. Govind Rankawat
MD (General Medicine), SMS Medical
College and Attached Group of Hospitals,
Jaipur-302004, Rajasthan, INDIA.
Mobile no: +91 8290523306
Email: govindrankawat@gmail.com
History
• Submission Date: 19-07-2020;
• Revised Date: 18-08-2020;
• Accepted Date: 24-09-2020;
DOI : 10.5530/ijmedph.2021.1.4
Article Available online
http://www.ijmedph.org/v11/i1
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