Time to negative PCR from symptom onset in COVID-19 patients on Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin - A real world experience
Saleemi et al.,
Time to negative PCR from symptom onset in COVID-19 patients on Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin - A real..,
medRxiv, doi:10.1101/2020.08.05.20151027 (Preprint)
Retrospective 65 HCQ+AZ, 20 control patients, showing median time to negative PCR of 23 days for HCQ+AZ vs. 19 days for control.
Confounding by indication. 100% of non-HCQ group had mild disease vs. 63% of the HCQ+AZ group. More comorbidities and symptoms in the HCQ+AZ group.
This study is excluded in the after exclusion results of meta
analysis:
substantial unadjusted
confounding by indication likely.
median time to PCR-, 21.0% higher, relative time 1.21, p < 0.05, treatment 65, control 20.
|
Effect extraction follows pre-specified rules prioritizing more serious outcomes. Submit updates
|
Saleemi et al., 11 Aug 2020, retrospective, Saudi Arabia, preprint, 5 authors.
Abstract: medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.05.20151027; this version posted August 11, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint
(which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.
It is made available under a CC-BY-ND 4.0 International license .
Time to negative PCR from symptom onset in COVID-19 patients on
Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin - A real-world experience
Sarfraz Saleemi1, Abdulrahman Alrajhi2, Mohammed Alhajji1, Areej Alfattani3, Faisal Albaiz1
1
Section of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine
King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2
Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine
King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
3
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Corresponding author:
1
Sarfraz Saleemi
Section of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine MBC 46, King Faisal Specialist
Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh 11211, PO Box 3354, Saudi Arabia
Email: ssaleemi@kfshrc.edu.sa
ABSTRACT:
Background: The role of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin in the treatment of
COVID-19 and its effect on SARS-CoV-2 viral clearance is not known.
Methods: This is a retrospective observational study to assess the effect of HCQ and
Azithromycin on duration from symptom onset to negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR using
nasopharyngeal swab in hospitalized patient with COVID-19. Eighty-five patients were included
in the study, 65 in HCQ (Hydroxychloroquine + Azithromycin) and 20 in non-HCQ group.
Measurement of duration from symptom onset to negative PCR and effect of gender, age and
disease severity on time to viral clearance was measured.
NOTE: This preprint reports new research that has not been certified by peer review and should not be used to guide clinical practice.
medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.05.20151027; this version posted August 11, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint
(which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.
It is made available under a CC-BY-ND 4.0 International license .
Results: Median time to negative PCR in HCQ group was 23 days (IQR: 9, Mean 24+8, N=65)
compared with non-HCQ group, 19 days (IQR: 8, Mean 18+6, N=20), (p <0.05). Forty-one
(63%) patients in HCQ group and all patients (100%) in non-HCQ group had mild disease.
Multivariate regression model (F=6.8, P<0.002, R2=0.20) shows that being in HCQ group
would delay the time to negative PCR by 7 days (95%CI: 2-12) and with every year increase in
the age, the time to negative PCR would be delayed by 0.12 days (95%CI: 0.017-0.22). Among
HCQ sub-groups, gender and disease severity had no effect on duration (p 0.142 and 0.156
respectively) but older patients >60 year had longer duration compared to patients <60 year of
age although p value did not reach significance (p 0.073). Median time to negative PCR in mildHCQ group (23 days, IQR: 9, Mean 23+8, N=41) was longer when compared with non-HCQ
group (p <0.05). On day 28, all patients in non-HCQ group had negative PCR while only 50/65
(77%) were negative in HCQ group.
Conclusion: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin delay SARS-CoV-2 virus clearance
in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and it is correlated with..
Late treatment
is less effective
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.
Submit