Covid19 has infected more than 300 thousand people and led to more than 14 thousand deaths worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins CSSE.
The number of cases increases worryingly every day. There are no vaccines and specific treatments yet, but promising candidates are.
Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin on Covid-19
A small study that is not yet peer-reviewed was recently published. The study was by Gautret and others and was done in France to evaluate the effect of the combination of hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) with an antibacterial, azithromycin (Zithromax, Z-pak).
The study group consisted of six asymptomatic patients, 22 with upper respiratory tract symptoms, and 8 had lower respiratory tract infections.
The other Covid-19 group is the control group, and they did not get hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.
They tested for the presence of the Covid-19 virus daily for six days by swabbing the inside of the nose.
Results
- Beginning the third day of treatment, the viral load in the patients’ given hydroxychloroquine was lower than the control group.
- On day 6, 70% of hydroxychloroquine-treated patients were virologically cured compared with 12.5% in the control group.
- On day 6, 100% of patients treated with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin combination were virologically cured compared with 12.5% in the control group.
Application of the Study
The use of both hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin is an effective treatment for Covid-19, who have symptoms. They also decrease the infectivity of the disease by lowering the number of viruses and shortening the days that it can spread.
The combination can also prevent secondary bacterial infections that can lead to pneumonia.
The CDC includes hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a therapeutic option for Covid-19 on the CDC page.
Cautious Optimism
It is a small study, and research with a larger sample is needed to ensure safety and effectiveness. They released the results right away to inform other doctors that the use of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin is a possible treatment choice in this pandemic.
The combination of both drugs, hydroxychloroquine, and azithromycin, can cause prolonged Q-T syndrome of the heart, leading to malignant arrythmias and death. Long Q-T syndrome did not occur in this study.
Do not self-medicate. The Q-T prolongation can be deadly.
Ongoing and future studies
Another study is ongoing in France and may have preliminary results in two weeks. Drug trials will also be conducted in New York using hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.
There may be some hope, after all.
Don’t Get Sick!
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Reference:
Gautret et al. (2020) Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of
COVID‐19: results of an open‐label non‐randomized clinical trial. International Journal of
Antimicrobial Agents – In Press 17 March 2020 – DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2020.105949
Image credit
Coronavirus By Photo Credit: Content Providers(s): CDC/Dr. Fred Murphy – This media comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Public Health Image Library (PHIL), identification number #4814.
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