HCQ for COVID-19
1st treatment shown to reduce risk in
March 2020, now with p < 0.0000000001 from 426 studies, used in 59 countries.
No treatment is 100% effective.
Protocols combine treatments.
Updated meta analysis of 41 studies showing CQ/HCQ OR 0.57, p<0.0001 from clinical studies.
For big data studies authors find inconsistent results and OR 0.83, p=0.0014, and for all studies combined OR 0.72, p<0.0001.
11 meta-analyses show significant improvements with hydroxychloroquine for mortality1-5,
hospitalization1,
recovery6,
combined death/hospitalization/cases7,
cases8-10, and
viral clearance11.
Currently there are 38 HCQ for COVID-19 early treatment studies, showing 76% lower mortality [61‑85%], 67% lower ventilation [-710‑99%], 31% lower ICU admission [1‑53%], and 42% lower hospitalization [29‑52%].
1.
Landsteiner de Sampaio Amêndola et al., COVID-19 Infection in Rheumatic Patients on Chronic Antimalarial Drugs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Journal of Clinical Medicine, doi:10.3390/jcm11226865.
2.
Risch, H., Early Outpatient Treatment of Symptomatic, High-Risk Covid-19 Patients that Should be Ramped-Up Immediately as Key to the Pandemic Crisis, American Journal of Epidemiology, kwaa093, 27 May 2020, doi:10.1093/aje/kwaa093.
3.
Risch (B), H., Response to: “Early Outpatient Treatment of Symptomatic, High-Risk Covid-19 Patients” and “Re: Early Outpatient Treatment of Symptomatic, High-Risk Covid-19 Patients that Should be Ramped-Up Immediately as Key to the Pandemic Crisis”, American Journal of Epidemiology, July 20, 2020, doi:10.1093/aje/kwaa152.
4.
Stricker et al., Hydroxychloroquine Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers from India: A Meta-Analysis, Journal of Infection and Public Health, doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2021.08.001.
5.
Amal et al., Exploring the long-term hydroxychloroquine’s effects on COVID-19 outcomes in patients with autoimmune diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis, European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, doi:10.1007/s00228-026-04066-y.
6.
Prodromos et al., Hydroxychloroquine is effective, and consistently so used early, for Covid-19: A systematic review, New Microbes and New Infections, doi:10.1016/j.nmni.2020.100776.
7.
Ladapo et al., Randomized Controlled Trials of Early Ambulatory Hydroxychloroquine in the Prevention of COVID-19 Infection, Hospitalization, and Death: Meta-Analysis, medRxiv, doi:10.1101/2020.09.30.20204693.
8.
García-Albéniz et al., Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials of hydroxychloroquine for the prevention of COVID-19, European Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1007/s10654-022-00891-4.
9.
Han et al., The efficacy and safety of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 prophylaxis and clinical assessment: an updated meta-analysis of randomized trials, Journal of Thoracic Disease, doi:10.21037/jtd-23-1043.
IHU Marseille et al., 20 Oct 2020, preprint, 1 author.