Efficacy of Early Treatment with Favipiravir on Disease Progression among High Risk COVID-19 Patients: A Randomized, Open-Label Clinical Trial
Chuah et al.,
Efficacy of Early Treatment with Favipiravir on Disease Progression among High Risk COVID-19 Patients: A..,
Clinical Infectious Diseases, doi:10.1093/cid/ciab962
RCT 500 hospitalized patients in Malaysia, showing no significant differences with favipiravir treatment.
risk of death, 1154.0% higher, RR 12.54, p = 0.08, treatment 5 of 250 (2.0%), control 0 of 250 (0.0%), odds ratio converted to relative risk, continuity correction due to zero event (with reciprocal of the contrasting arm).
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risk of mechanical ventilation, 19.5% higher, RR 1.20, p = 0.76, treatment 6 of 250 (2.4%), control 5 of 250 (2.0%), odds ratio converted to relative risk.
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risk of ICU admission, 8.5% higher, RR 1.09, p = 0.84, treatment 13 of 250 (5.2%), control 12 of 250 (4.8%), odds ratio converted to relative risk.
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Effect extraction follows pre-specified rules prioritizing more serious outcomes. Submit updates
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Chuah et al., 19 Nov 2021, Randomized Controlled Trial, Malaysia, peer-reviewed, 18 authors.
Abstract: Efficacy of Early Treatment with Favipiravir on Disease Progression among
High Risk COVID-19 Patients: A Randomized, Open-Label Clinical Trial
Chuan Huan, Chuah1, Ting Soo, Chow1, Chee Peng, Hor2,3, Joo Thye, Cheng4,
Hong Bee, Ker5, Heng Gee, Lee6, Kok Soon, Lee7, Noridah, Nordin8, Tiang Koi, Ng9,
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Adnan13, Noorlina, Nordin14, Tze Yuan, Tee15, Su Miin, Ong16, Suresh Kumar,
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Chidambaram17,§, Mahiran, Mustafa8, §, for the Malaysian Favipiravir Study Group
1. Department of Medicine, Penang General Hospital, Penang, Malaysia
2. Department of Medicine, Kepala Batas Hospital, Penang, Malaysia
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3. Clinical Research Centre, Seberang Jaya Hospital, Penang, Malaysia
4. Department of Medicine, Seberang Jaya Hospital, Penang, Malaysia
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5. Department of Medicine, Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, Perak, Malaysia
6. Department of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sabah, Malaysia
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Malaysia
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7. Department of Medicine, Enche' Besar Hajjah Khalsom Hospital, Johor,
8. Department of Medicine, Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital, Kelantan,
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Malaysia
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9. Department of Medicine, Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
10. Department of Medicine, Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor, Malaysia
11. Department of Medicine, Melaka Hospital, Malacca, Malaysia
12. Department of Medicine, Tuanku Fauziah Hospital, Perlis, Malaysia
13. Department of Medicine, Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital, Terrengganu,
Malaysia
14. Department of Medicine, Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Pahang, Malaysia
15. Department of Medicine, Tawau Hospital, Sabah, Malaysia
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of
America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Masliza, Zaid10, Nor Zaila, Zaidan11, Suhaila, Abdul Wahab12, Nurul Ashikin,
16. Institute for Clinical Research, National Institute of Health, Malaysia
17. Department of Medicine, Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia
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Equal contributors
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Dr Chuan Huan, Chuah
Email: chchuah7@yahoo.com
Department of Medicine, Penang General Hospital, George Town, Penang,
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Malaysia.
Summary: Role of favipiravir remains uncertain in COVID-19. Early treatment with
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five days oral favipiravir did not prevent disease progression from non-hypoxia to
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hypoxia in high-risk patients. No beneficial effects were observed in preventing
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mechanical ventilation, ICU admission, and in-hospital mortality.
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CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
ABSTRACT
Background
Role of favipiravir in preventing disease progression in COVID-19 remains uncertain.
We aimed to determine its effect in preventing disease progression from non-hypoxia
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Study design
This was an open-label, randomized clinical trial conducted at 14 public hospitals
across Malaysia from February to June 2021 among 500 symptomatic, RT-PCR
confirmed COVID-19 patients, aged ≥50 years with ≥1 co-morbidity, and hospitalized
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within first 7 days of illness. Patients were randomized on 1:1 ratio to favipiravir plus
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standard care or standard care alone. Favipiravir was administered at 1800mg twicedaily on day 1 followed by 800mg twice-daily until day 5. The primary endpoint was
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rate of..
Late treatment
is less effective
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