Supplementary Data — Thermotherapy reduces COVID-19 risk: real-time meta-analysis of 4 studies

@CovidAnalysis, October 2026, Version 2V2 (V1 2024)

.fp--anim .fp__study,.fp--anim .fp__sum,.fp--anim .fp__het,.fp--anim .fp__dia,.fp--anim .fp__verdict,.fp--anim .fp__pooled{opacity:1}.fp--anim .fp__ci{transform:none}.fp--anim .fp__pt{transform:translate(-50%,-50%)}.fp--anim .fp__plot::before{opacity:var(--shade-opacity)}.fp--anim-settle .fp__pt{left:calc(min(var(--pt),var(--max))/var(--max)*100%)}.fp--anim-settle .fp__ci,.fp--anim-settle .fp__dia{left:calc(var(--lo)/var(--max)*100%);width:calc((var(--hi) - var(--lo))/var(--max)*100%)}

October 2026

Thermotherapy COVID-19 outcomes

StudyImprovementRR · 95% CIOutcomeTreatmentControlRelative Risk

Huang (RCT)80%0.20 · 0.01–3.97oxygen0/252/25diathermy Huang (RCT)40%0.60 · 0.16–2.25hosp.3/255/25diathermy Huang (RCT)67%0.33 · 0.16–0.70no recov.6/2518/25diathermy Huang (RCT)15%0.85 · 0.72–0.99recov. time25 (n)25 (n)diathermy Huang (RCT)67%0.33 · 0.12–0.90no recov.25 (n)25 (n)diathermy Huang (RCT)67%0.33 · 0.17–0.67no recov.25 (n)25 (n)diathermy Huang (RCT)80%0.20 · 0.01–3.97viral+0/252/25diathermy Huang (RCT)50%0.50 · 0.14–1.78viral+3/256/25diathermy Huang (RCT)−57%1.57 · 0.73–3.39viral+11/257/25diathermy Huang (RCT)−28%1.28 · 0.98–1.67viral+23/2518/25diathermy Dominguez-Nicolas53%0.47 · 0.27–0.81no improv.8/175/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas93%0.07 · 0.00–1.18no improv.0/173/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas93%0.07 · 0.00–1.18no improv.0/173/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas96%0.04 · 0.00–0.68no improv.0/175/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas82%0.18 · 0.07–0.47no improv.3/175/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas53%0.47 · 0.27–0.81no improv.8/175/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas35%0.65 · 0.42–0.99no improv.11/175/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas35%0.65 · 0.42–0.99no improv.11/175/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas18%0.82 · 0.59–1.15no improv.14/175/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas18%0.82 · 0.59–1.15no improv.14/175/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas12%0.88 · 0.65–1.20no improv.15/175/5LF-ThMS Dominguez-Nicolas6%0.94 · 0.71–1.24no improv.16/175/5LF-ThMS Tian (DB RCT)84%0.16 · 0.02–1.40ventilation1/273/13diathermy Tian (DB RCT)76%0.24 · 0.05–1.15ICU2/274/13diathermy Tian (DB RCT)67%0.33 · 0.15–0.72no recov.27 (n)13 (n)diathermy Tian (DB RCT)73%0.27 · 0.11–0.67no recov.27 (n)13 (n)diathermy Bonfanti (RCT)−11%1.11 · 0.39–3.19death4/94/10EXCLUDEDVentilated patients Bonfanti (RCT)26%0.74 · 0.16–3.48death2/93/10EXCLUDEDVentilated patients Mancilla-G.. (RCT)43%0.57 · 0.22–1.45death6/5410/51TherMoCoVheating pad Mancilla-G.. (RCT)43%0.57 · 0.14–2.25death3/545/51TherMoCoVheating pad Mancilla-G.. (RCT)21%0.79 · 0.26–2.42ventilation5/546/51TherMoCoVheating pad Mancilla-G.. (RCT)17%0.83 · 0.45–1.52progression14/5416/51TherMoCoVheating pad

00.511.52+

Rotate screen for more detailsIncrease width for more details

← Thermotherapy
reduces riskThermotherapy
increases risk →

Fig. S1. All outcomes.

Loading..

Fig. S2. Comparison of results for RCTs versus observational studies. For COVID-19 treatments, there is no significant difference between the results of RCTs and observational studies. Observational studies do not systematically over or underestimate efficacy. For high-cost treatments, there is a non-significant trend towards RCTs showing greater efficacy.