Comparative study between the therapeutic effect of remdesivir versus hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 hospitalized patients
Eldeen et al.,
Comparative study between the therapeutic effect of remdesivir versus hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19..,
Microbes and Infectious Diseases, doi:10.21608/mid.2021.85877.1177
Small study comparing 25 HCQ and 25 remdesivir hospitalized patients, reporting faster viral clearance with remdesivir. The article proof is missing the results for the HCQ group.
Confounding by time is likely - remdesivir patients were after HCQ patients in time, and treatment protocols improved over the period of the study.
[Gérard, Wu, Zhou] show significantly increased risk of acute kidney injury with remdesivir.
Eldeen et al., 16 Aug 2021, peer-reviewed, 5 authors.
Abstract: Microbes and Infectious Diseases 2021; 2(4): 642-650
Microbes and Infectious Diseases
Journal homepage: https://mid.journals.ekb.eg/
Original article
Comparative study between the therapeutic effect of remdesivir
versus hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 hospitalized patients
Maii A. Shams Eldeen *1, Mohamed S. Abdelghafar 2, Hoda A. Ibrahim 3, Al Shimaa A. Taha
4, Marwa S. Taha 1
1- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt.
2- Department of Anesthesia, Surgical Intensive Care and Pain, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University. Egypt.
3- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University. Egypt.
4- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University. Egypt.
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Background: Up till now, no evidence based studies have recommended specific therapeutic
modality to treat corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19). Many regimens were tested since the
outbreak has started. Among commonly tested drugs are hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial
agent, which was proposed based on its anti-inflammatory as well as antiviral effects and
remdesivir, an antiviral that showed invivo and invitro activity against the formerly known
corona-viruses The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved using remdesivir in the
treatment of severe cases of COVID-19. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of
remdesivir versus hydroxychloroquine against SARS-CoV-2 in terms of infectivity period in
hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods: Fifty patients that were clinically diagnosed with
Covid-19 admitted to Tanta University Isolation Hospital from June - September, 2020 were
included in this study and divided into 2 groups. Group I had hydroxychloroquine as the main
therapeutic agent in their treatment regimen, while group II had the antiviral remdesivir
instead. Laboratory testing involved nasopharyngeal swabbing which was transported
immediately to Tanta University Hospital laboratory for Real-time PCR. Results: There was
a significant better outcome and shorter infectivity period in group 2 who received the
antiviral remdesivir. Conclusions: Remdesivir showed significant better outcome in COVID19 hospitalized patients, as it reduced period needed for clinical improvement while
administration of hydroxychloroquine was not associated with better outcome or increased
risk to the patients.
Received 30 June 2021
Received in revised form 13 August 2021
Accepted 16 August 2021
Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2
Remdesivir
Hydroxychloroquine
Real-time PCR
Late treatment
is less effective
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