COVID-19: TREATMENt
In this retrospective multicentre cohort study, just published in JAMA, the authors describe the association between use of hydroxychloroquine, with or without azithromycin, and clinical outcomes among hospital inpatients diagnosed with COVID-19. A random sample of all admitted patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in 25 hospitals, representing 88.2% of patients with COVID-19 in the New York metropolitan region were selected. Eligible patients were admitted for at least 24 hours between March 15 and 28, 2020.The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were cardiac arrest and abnormal electrocardiogram findings. Among 1438 hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 (858 [59.7%] male, median age 63 years), those receiving hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, or both were more likely than those not receiving either drug to have diabetes, respiratory rate >22/min, abnormal chest imaging findings, O2 saturation lower than 90%, and aspartate aminotransferase greater than 40 U/L. Overall in-hospital mortality was 20.3% (95% CI, 18.2%-22.4%). The probability of death for patients receiving hydroxychloroquine + azithromycin was 189/735 (25.7% [95% CI, 22.3%-28.9%]), hydroxychloroquine alone, 54/271 (19.9% [95% CI, 15.2%-24.7%]), azithromycin alone, 21/211 (10.0% [95% CI, 5.9%-14.0%]), and neither drug, 28/221 (12.7% [95% CI, 8.3%-17.1%]). In adjusted Cox proportional hazards models, compared with patients receiving neither drug, there were no significant differences in mortality for patients receiving hydroxychloroquine + azithromycin, hydroxychloroquine alone, or azithromycin alone. In logistic models, compared with patients receiving neither drug, cardiac arrest was significantly more likely in patients receiving hydroxychloroquine + azithromycin, but not hydroxychloroquine alone or azithromycin alone. The authors concluded that among patients hospitalized in metropolitan New York with COVID-19, treatment with hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, or both, compared with neither treatment, was not significantly associated with differences in in-hospital mortality. However, interpretation of these findings may be limited by the observational design of the study.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2766117
by Marialuisa Zedde and Francesco Cavallieri
