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Reviews of "Repurposed antiviral drugs for COVID-19; interim WHO SOLIDARITY trial results"

Reviewers: Alberto Borobia,Β Antonio J Carcas (La Paz University Hospital) | πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“— ◻️ β€’ Marie Warrer Munch (Rigshospitalet) | πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“— ◻️ β€’ Stephen Shiboski (UCSF) | πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“— ◻️ β€’ Emily Walsh (Kaiser Permanente) | πŸ“’πŸ“’πŸ“’ ◻️◻️

Published onNov 11, 2020
Reviews of "Repurposed antiviral drugs for COVID-19; interim WHO SOLIDARITY trial results"
key-enterThis Pub is a Review of
Repurposed antiviral drugs for COVID-19 –interim WHO SOLIDARITY trial results
Description

BACKGROUND WHO expert groups recommended mortality trials in hospitalized COVID-19 of four re-purposed antiviral drugs. METHODS Study drugs were Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir (fixed-dose combination with Ritonavir) and Interferon-Ξ²1a (mainly subcutaneous; initially with Lopinavir, later not). COVID-19 inpatients were randomized equally between whichever study drugs were locally available and open control (up to 5 options: 4 active and local standard-of-care). The intent-to-treat primary analyses are of in-hospital mortality in the 4 pairwise comparisons of each study drug vs its controls (concurrently allocated the same management without that drug, despite availability). Kaplan-Meier 28-day risks are unstratified; log-rank death rate ratios (RRs) are stratified for age and ventilation at entry. RESULTS In 405 hospitals in 30 countries 11,266 adults were randomized, with 2750 allocated Remdesivir, 954 Hydroxychloroquine, 1411 Lopinavir, 651 Interferon plus Lopinavir, 1412 only Interferon, and 4088 no study drug. Compliance was 94-96% midway through treatment, with 2-6% crossover. 1253 deaths were reported (at median day 8, IQR 4-14). Kaplan-Meier 28-day mortality was 12% (39% if already ventilated at randomization, 10% otherwise). Death rate ratios (with 95% CIs and numbers dead/randomized, each drug vs its control) were: Remdesivir RR=0.95 (0.81-1.11, p=0.50; 301/2743 active vs 303/2708 control), Hydroxychloroquine RR=1.19 (0.89-1.59, p=0.23; 104/947 vs 84/906), Lopinavir RR=1.00 (0.79-1.25, p=0.97; 148/1399 vs 146/1372) and Interferon RR=1.16 (0.96-1.39, p=0.11; 243/2050 vs 216/2050). No study drug definitely reduced mortality (in unventilated patients or any other subgroup of entry characteristics), initiation of ventilation or hospitalisation duration. CONCLUSIONS These Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir and Interferon regimens appeared to have little or no effect on hospitalized COVID-19, as indicated by overall mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay. The mortality findings contain most of the randomized evidence on Remdesivir and Interferon, and are consistent with meta-analyses of mortality in all major trials. (Funding: WHO. Registration: ISRCTN83971151, NCT04315948)

To read the original manuscript, click the link above.

Summary of Reviews: This reliable study suggests four antivirals have no effect on important clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. While the randomized control trial is thorough, reviewers note missing descriptions of study protocol, patient eligibility, & adverse reactions.

Reviewer 1 (Alberto Borobia,Β Antonio J Carcas) | πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—β—»οΈ

Reviewer 2 (Marie Warrer Munch) | πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—β—»οΈ

Reviewer 3 (Stephen Shiboski) | πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—β—»οΈ

Reviewer 4 (Emily Walsh) | πŸ“’πŸ“’πŸ“’ ◻️◻️

RR:C19 Strength of Evidence Scale Key

πŸ“• ◻️◻️◻️◻️ = Misleading

πŸ“™πŸ“™ ◻️◻️◻️ = Not Informative

πŸ“’πŸ“’πŸ“’ ◻️◻️ = Potentially Informative

πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—πŸ“—β—»οΈ = Reliable

πŸ“˜πŸ“˜πŸ“˜πŸ“˜πŸ“˜ = Strong

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