Use of Hydroxychloroquine in Patients with COVID-19: A Retrospective Observational Study
Retrospective 202 patients in Saudi Arabia not showing significant differences with treatment. No information is provided on how patients were selected for treatment, there may be significant
confounding by indication. Time varying confounding is also likely as HCQ became controversial during the period studied, therefore HCQ use was likely more frequent toward the beginning of the period, a time when overall treatment protocols were significantly worse.
This study is excluded in the after exclusion results of meta
analysis:
substantial
confounding by time likely due to declining usage over the early stages of the pandemic when overall treatment protocols improved dramatically; substantial unadjusted
confounding by indication likely.
risk of death, 24.8% higher, RR 1.25, p = 0.76, treatment 6 of 99 (6.1%), control 5 of 103 (4.9%).
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risk of mechanical ventilation, 41.2% higher, RR 1.41, p = 0.34, treatment 19 of 99 (19.2%), control 14 of 103 (13.6%).
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risk of ICU admission, 16.5% higher, RR 1.17, p = 0.53, treatment 28 of 99 (28.3%), control 25 of 103 (24.3%).
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Effect extraction follows pre-specified rules prioritizing more serious outcomes. Submit updates
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Lotfy et al., 1 Jan 2021, retrospective, Saudi Arabia, peer-reviewed, mean age 55.0, 3 authors.
Abstract: DOI: 10.5152/TurkThoracJ.2021.20180
Turk Thorac J 2021; 22(1): 62-6
Original Article
Use of Hydroxychloroquine in Patients with COVID-19:
A Retrospective Observational Study
Samah Mohamad Lotfy
, Ahmad Abbas
, Waheed Shouman
Department of Chest Diseases, Zagazig University Hospitals, Zagazig, Egypt
Cite this article as: Lotfy SM, Abbas A, Shouman W. Use of hydroxychloroquine in patients with COVID-19: A retrospective
observational study. Turk Thorac J 2021; 22(1): 62-6.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: There is no consensus on a certain drug therapy for COVID-19 infection. Growing reports argue about the potential
benefits of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, but with inconsistent results.
This study aimed to assess the potential benefits of HCQ on viral conversion, reducing the need for ICU or mechanical ventilation, and
its impact on mortality.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study was conducted enrolling confirmed SARS-CoV2 patients. They were
subjected to plain CXR (HRCT of chest if needed), routine laboratory tests for COVID-19 (including CBC, CRP, LDH, D-Dimer, ferritin,
and blood sugar), ECG, and blood gases. They were allocated to either HCQ or non-HCQ groups. Both groups were followed-up for
symptoms resolution, need for ICU admission, non-invasive or invasive ventilation, duration till conversion, and mortality.
RESULTS: A total of 202 patients with moderate COVID-19 were enrolled with a mean age of 55.05±10.15, out of whom 80% were male
patients. The most common presenting symptom was fever (87.38% in the control group versus 92% in the HCQ group), followed by
cough (82.52% versus 89.9%). In total, 24.27% of patients in the control group versus 28.3% in the HCQ group deteriorated and necessitated ICU admission (p=0.52), 13.6% of the control group versus 19.2% in the HCQ group required mechanical ventilation (p=0.28),
and 69.9% of the control group versus 68.9% in the HCQ group converted negative on day 7 (p=0.85). No significant mortality difference
between both groups was observed (4.9% versus 6.1%, p=0.47).
CONCLUSION: This work did not support any benefits of using HCQ in patients with COVID-19, neither in reducing the need for ICU,
mechanical ventilation, nor mortality.
KEYWORDS: Hydroxychloroquine, COVID-19, SARS-CoV2, ICU, mortality
Received: July 22, 2020
Accepted: October 1, 2020
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