Reference:
Mehra, M. R., Desai, S. S., Ruschitzka, F., & Patel, A. N. (2020). Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine with or without a macrolide for treatment of COVID-19: A multinational registry analysis. The Lancet, 395(10240), 1820-1830. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31180-6
Summary:
The study evaluates the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, either alone or in combination with macrolides, in treating COVID-19 among hospitalised patients. Involving 96,032 patients from 671 hospitals globally, the analysis found no therapeutic benefit from these treatments. Instead, they were associated with increased in-hospital mortality (18.0% for hydroxychloroquine alone) and a heightened risk of de-novo ventricular arrhythmias. The study highlights that, despite their common use based on anecdotal evidence, both drug regimens may worsen outcomes for COVID-19 patients, implying a need for caution and further investigation through randomised clinical trials. Overall, the findings suggest these treatments should not be administered outside of clinical trials due to potential harm.