Benefits of Treatment With Favipiravir in Hospitalized Patients for COVID-19: a Retrospective Observational Case-control Study
Anıl Uçan, Pamir Çerçi, Serdar Efe, Hakan Akgün, Ahmet Özmen, Aysel Yağmuroğlu, Muzaffer Bilgin, Deniz Avcı
doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-175340/v1
Background: Although more than a year past since COVID-19 was de ned, there is no speci c treatment yet. Since COVID-19 management differs over time, it is hard to determine which therapy is more e cacious. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the e cacy of the regimen with Favipiravir (FPV) and determine if the timing of FPV addition offers any improvement. Methods: A retrospective observational case-controlled cohort study was performed between March and Sep-tember 2020, including adults with COVID-19 in a single-center in Turkey. We categorized patients into age-sex matched three groups, group 1 (n=48) and group 2 (n=48) included patients treated with the combination of FPV plus Hydroxychloroquine (HQ) early and late, respectively. Group 3 (n=48) consisted of patients on HQ monot-herapy. In Group 2, if the respiratory or clinic condition had not improved su ciently, FPV was added on or after day 3. Results: We found that starting FPV early had an impact on PCR negativity and the progression of the disease. 'No progression' was de ned as the absence of a new nding in the control radiological examination and the absence of accompanying clinical deterioration. Also, the decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP) was greater in Group 1 than Group 3 (p <0.001). However, we found that early initiation of FPV treatment did not have a posi-tive effect on the estimated survival time. Conclusions: According to this retrospective study results, we believe that for better clinical outcomes, FPV treatment should be started promptly to enhance antiviral effects and improve clinical outcomes.
Declarations Authors' contributions AU and PC contributed to the study conception and design. Data collection, material preparation, and analysis were performed by SE, AY, HA, and AO. All authors commented on the latest version of the manuscript, and all authors read and approved the nal manuscript.
Consent for publication Not applicable.
Competing Interests The authors declare that they have no competing inte rests.
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' <jats:p>Background: Although more than a year past since COVID-19 was defined, there '
'is no specific treatment yet. Since COVID-19 management differs over time, it is hard to '
'determine which therapy is more efficacious. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy '
'of the regimen with Favipiravir (FPV) and determine if the timing of FPV addition offers any '
'improvement. Methods: A retrospective observational case-controlled cohort study was '
'performed between March and Sep-tember 2020, including adults with COVID-19 in a '
'single-center in Turkey. We categorized patients into age-sex matched three groups, group 1 '
'(n=48) and group 2 (n=48) included patients treated with the combination of FPV plus '
'Hydroxychloroquine (HQ) early and late, respectively. Group 3 (n=48) consisted of patients on '
'HQ monot-herapy. In Group 2, if the respiratory or clinic condition had not improved '
'sufficiently, FPV was added on or after day 3. Results: We found that starting FPV early had '
"an impact on PCR negativity and the progression of the disease. 'No progression' was defined "
'as the absence of a new finding in the control radiological examination and the absence of '
'accompanying clinical deterioration. Also, the decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP) was '
'greater in Group 1 than Group 3 (p <0.001). However, we found that early initiation of FPV '
'treatment did not have a posi-tive effect on the estimated survival time. Conclusions: '
'According to this retrospective study results, we believe that for better clinical outcomes, '
'FPV treatment should be started promptly to enhance antiviral effects and improve clinical '
'outcomes.</jats:p>',
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