Hydroxychloroquine and mortality in COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and a meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized controlled trials
Augusto Di Castelnuovo, Simona Costanzo, Antonio Cassone, Roberto Cauda, Giovanni de Gaetano, Licia Iacoviello
Abstract
HCQ use was not associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients in pooling results from RCTs (high level of certainty of evidence), but it was associated with 20% mortality reduction when findings from observational studies were combined (low level of certainty of evidence). The reduction of mortality was mainly apparent in observational studies where lower doses of HCQ were used. These findings might help disentangling the debate on HCQ use in COVID-19.
Topics & Concepts
MedicineHydroxychloroquineInternal medicineCohort studyObservational studyMeta-analysisAzithromycinRandomized controlled trialCohortRelative riskAdverse effectConfidence intervalCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)DiseaseBiologyMicrobiologyAntibioticsInfectious disease (medical specialty)COVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesLong-Term Effects of COVID-19Sepsis Diagnosis and Treatment