Use of hydroxychloroquine to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and treat mild COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis
ABSTRACT Objective: Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine has demonstrated no effect on the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to answer questions related to the use of hydroxychloroquine for pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and in the treatment of patients with mild COVID-19 in terms of hospitalization, adverse events, and mortality. Methods: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of phase 3 randomized clinical trials, selected from various databases, which compared patients who received hydroxychloroquine for SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis or treatment of mild COVID-19 cases with controls. Results: A total number of 1,376 studies were retrieved. Of those, 9 met the eligibility criteria and were included in the study. No statistically significant differences were found between the hydroxychloroquine and control groups in terms of pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The use of hydroxychloroquine increased the risk of adverse events by 12% (95% CI, 6-18%; p < 0.001), and the number needed to harm was 9. In addition, no significant differences were found between the hydroxychloroquine and control groups regarding hospitalization (risk difference [RD] = −0.02; 95% CI, −0.04 to 0.00; p = 0.14) or mortality (RD = 0.00; 95% CI, −0.01 to 0.02; p = 0.98) in the treatment of mild COVID-19. Conclusions: The use of hydroxychloroquine for prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection or treatment of patients with mild COVID-19 is not recommended.
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisiologia
2021
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| Online Access: | http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-37132021000501200 |
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