Chronic Hydroxychloroquine Therapy and COVID-19 Outcomes: A Retrospective Case-Control Analysis
Rangel et al.,
Chronic Hydroxychloroquine Therapy and COVID-19 Outcomes: A Retrospective Case-Control Analysis,
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2020.10.098
Retrospective 50 COVID-19 patients that take chronic HCQ, compared to a matched sample of patients not taking chronic HCQ, showing lower mortality and ICU admission, and shorter hospitalization for HCQ patients, but not statistically significant due to the small number of events.
The actual benefit for HCQ could be much larger. The study does not address the risk of being sick enough to visit the hospital. HCQ users are likely systemic autoimmune disease patients and authors do not adjust for the very different baseline risk for these patients. Other research shows that the risk of COVID-19 for systemic autoimmune disease patients is much higher overall, Ferri et al. show OR 4.42,
p<0.001
[Ferri].
Although the 25% lower mortality is not statistically significant, it is consistent with the significant 24% lower mortality
[19‑28%] from meta analysis of the
237 mortality results to date.
This study is excluded in the after exclusion results of meta
analysis:
not fully adjusting for the different baseline risk of systemic autoimmune patients.
risk of death, 25.1% lower, RR 0.75, p = 0.77, treatment 4 of 50 (8.0%), control 11 of 103 (10.7%), NNT 37, from all patients.
|
risk of hospitalization, 22.2% lower, RR 0.78, p = 0.29, treatment 17 of 50 (34.0%), control 45 of 103 (43.7%), NNT 10.
|
hospitalization time, 41.2% lower, relative time 0.59, p = 0.12, treatment 21, control 54.
|
Effect extraction follows pre-specified rules prioritizing more serious outcomes. Submit updates
|
Rangel et al., 10 Jan 2021, retrospective, USA, peer-reviewed, 5 authors.
Abstract: J AM ACAD DERMATOL
VOLUME 84, NUMBER 6
Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine,
Massachusetts.e
Drs Hartman and La are cofirst authors.
Funding sources: Supported by an American Skin
Association research grant (120795 to Dr
Hartman).
IRB approval status: Not applicable.
Reprints not available from the authors.
Correspondence to: Rebecca I. Hartman, MD, MPH,
Harvard Medical School, BWH Department of
Dermatology, 221 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA
02215
E-mail: rhartman@bwh.harvard.edu
Conflicts of interest
None disclosed.
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2020.12.069
Chronic hydroxychloroquine
therapy and COVID-19 outcomes: A
retrospective case-control analysis
To the Editor: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has failed
to show significant therapeutic benefit for patients
with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) in recent
studies, although interest in this medication’s
potential pre- and postprophylactic efficacy remains,
with 1 retrospective study showing reduced
COVID-19 infection among patients taking chronic
HCQ.1,2 In this study, we sought to evaluate
COVID-19 clinical outcomes in patients taking
chronic HCQ for an underlying condition as well as
in a matched cohort not taking HCQ at time of
COVID-19 diagnosis.
Research Letters 1769
Table I. Hydroxychloroquine indication, dosage,
and duration at time of COVID-19 diagnosis
HCQ indication, dosage, and duration (N = 50)
HCQ indication
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Rheumatoid arthritis
Connective tissue disease
overlap syndromes
€gren syndrome
Sjo
Mixed connective tissue disease
Undifferentiated connective
tissue disease
Erythema nodosum during
pregnancy
Carcinoid
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/
chronic fatigue syndrome
Acquired hypogammaglobulinemia
HCQ dosage
200 mg HCQ daily
200 mg HCQ 2 times daily
(400 mg total)
200 mg HCQ 3 times daily
(600 mg total)
Mean duration of HCQ therapy
before COVID-19 diagnosis (IQR)
n (%)
17 (34.0)
11 (22.0)
9 (18.0)
6 (12.0)
2 (4.0)
1 (2.0)
1 (2.0)
1 (2.0)
1 (2.0)
1 (2.0)
13 (36.0)
36 (72.0)
1 (2.0)
28 (14.25-44.25)
months
COVID-19, Coronavirus disease-2019; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine;
IQR, interquartile range.
We identified all patients with severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 seen at New
York University from March to April 2020 using
International Classification of Diseases, 10th
revision codes and included patients taking HCQ
for $6 weeks before their COVID-19 diagnosis.
Control subjects were randomly selected from the
remaining severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2epositive patients with automated
matching for age, gender, and immunosuppressive
medication using..
Please send us corrections, updates, or comments. Vaccines and
treatments are complementary. All practical, effective, and safe means should
be used based on risk/benefit analysis. No treatment, vaccine, or intervention
is 100% available and effective for all current and future variants. We do not
provide medical advice. Before taking any medication, consult a qualified
physician who can provide personalized advice and details of risks and
benefits based on your medical history and situation.
FLCCC and
WCH
provide treatment protocols.
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