Quercetin as a possible complementary agent for early-stage COVID-19: Concluding results of a randomized clinical trial
RCT 100 outpatients in Pakistan, 50 treated with quercetin phytosome, showing faster viral clearance and improved recovery with treatment. Patients in the treatment group were significantly younger (41 vs. 54).
This study is excluded in the after exclusion results of meta
analysis:
randomization resulted in significant baseline differences that were not adjusted for.
risk of death, 66.7% lower, RR 0.33, p = 1.00, treatment 0 of 50 (0.0%), control 1 of 50 (2.0%), NNT 50, relative risk is not 0 because of continuity correction due to zero events (with reciprocal of the contrasting arm).
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risk of ICU admission, 66.7% lower, RR 0.33, p = 1.00, treatment 0 of 50 (0.0%), control 1 of 50 (2.0%), NNT 50, relative risk is not 0 because of continuity correction due to zero events (with reciprocal of the contrasting arm).
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risk of hospitalization, 66.7% lower, RR 0.33, p = 1.00, treatment 0 of 50 (0.0%), control 1 of 50 (2.0%), NNT 50, relative risk is not 0 because of continuity correction due to zero events (with reciprocal of the contrasting arm).
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risk of no recovery, 36.8% lower, RR 0.63, p = 0.007, treatment 24 of 50 (48.0%), control 38 of 50 (76.0%), NNT 3.6, day 7.
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risk of no viral clearance, 57.9% lower, RR 0.42, p < 0.001, treatment 16 of 50 (32.0%), control 38 of 50 (76.0%), NNT 2.3, mid-recovery, day 7.
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risk of no viral clearance, 50.0% higher, RR 1.50, p = 1.00, treatment 3 of 50 (6.0%), control 2 of 50 (4.0%), day 14.
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risk of no viral clearance, 66.7% lower, RR 0.33, p = 1.00, treatment 0 of 50 (0.0%), control 1 of 50 (2.0%), NNT 50, relative risk is not 0 because of continuity correction due to zero events (with reciprocal of the contrasting arm), day 21.
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Effect extraction follows pre-specified rules prioritizing more serious outcomes. Submit updates
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Di Pierro et al., 13 Jan 2023, Randomized Controlled Trial, Pakistan, peer-reviewed, mean age 47.6, 13 authors, study period December 2020 - September 2021, trial
NCT04861298 (history).
Contact:
f.dipierro@vellejaresearch.com, amjadkhan@lumhs.edu.pk.
Abstract: TYPE Original Research
PUBLISHED 13 January 2023
DOI 10.3389/fphar.2022.1096853
OPEN ACCESS
EDITED BY
Michał Tomczyk,
Medical University of Bialystok, Poland
REVIEWED BY
Mithun Rudrapal,
Rasiklal M. Dhariwal Institute of
Pharmaceutical Education and
Research, India
Maria Russo,
Institute of Food Sciences, National
Research Council (CNR), Italy
Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin Asdaq,
University of Almaarefa, Saudi Arabia
*CORRESPONDENCE
Francesco Di Pierro,
f.dipierro@vellejaresearch.com
Amjad Khan,
amjadkhan@lumhs.edu.pk
SPECIALTY SECTION
This article was submitted to
Ethnopharmacology,
a section of the journal
Frontiers in Pharmacology
RECEIVED 12 November 2022
Quercetin as a possible
complementary agent for
early-stage COVID-19:
Concluding results of a
randomized clinical trial
Francesco Di Pierro 1,2*, Amjad Khan 3*, Somia Iqtadar 4,
Sami Ullah Mumtaz 4, Muhammad Nabeel Akbar Chaudhry 5,
Alexander Bertuccioli 6, Giuseppe Derosa 7,8, Pamela Maffioli 8,
Stefano Togni 9, Antonella Riva 9, Pietro Allegrini 9,
Martino Recchia 10 and Nicola Zerbinati 11
1
Scientific and Research Department, Velleja Research, Milan, Italy, 2Digestive Endoscopy, Fondazione
Poliambulanza, Brescia, Italy, 3INEOS Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford,
Oxford, United Kingdom, 4Department of Medicine, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan,
5
Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore, Pakistan, 6Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of
Urbino, Urbino, Italy, 7Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia,
Italy, 8Centre of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics,
University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy, 9R&D Department, Indena S.p.A, Milan, Italy, 10Medistat, Milan, Italy,
11
Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
ACCEPTED 15 December 2022
PUBLISHED 13 January 2023
CITATION
Di Pierro F, Khan A, Iqtadar S,
Mumtaz SU, Chaudhry MNA,
Bertuccioli A, Derosa G, Maffioli P,
Togni S, Riva A, Allegrini P, Recchia M
and Zerbinati N (2023), Quercetin as a
possible complementary agent for
early-stage COVID-19: Concluding
results of a randomized clinical trial.
Front. Pharmacol. 13:1096853.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1096853
COPYRIGHT
© 2023 Di Pierro, Khan, Iqtadar,
Mumtaz, Chaudhry, Bertuccioli, Derosa,
Maffioli, Togni, Riva, Allegrini, Recchia
and Zerbinati. This is an open-access
article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License
(CC BY). The use, distribution or
reproduction in other forums is
permitted, provided the original
author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are
credited and that the original
publication in this journal is cited, in
accordance with accepted academic
practice. No use, distribution or
reproduction is permitted which does
not comply with these terms.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
Background: Quercetin, a natural polyphenol with demonstrated broadspectrum antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, has been
proposed as an adjuvant for early-stage coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) infection.
Objective: To explore the possible therapeutic effect of quercetin in outpatients
with early-stage mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19.
Methods: This was an open-label randomized controlled clinical trial
conducted at the department of medicine, King Edward Medical University,
Lahore, PK. Patients were randomized to receive either standard of care (SC)
plus an oral quercetin supplement..
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