There are no benefits to treating patients with hydroxychloroquine after they have already been exposed to COVID-19, according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The antimalarial drug was once considered a potential treatment for COVID-19, leading to a considerable amount of controversy, but researchers found that it also led to serious heart complications. Research into hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19 has continued, though a majority of studies have suggested there are—at best—limited benefits.
The authors behind this latest analysis aimed to learn more about the impact of hydroxychloroquine after an individual has already been exposed to COVID-19, but before they have started showing symptoms. The team launched a cluster-randomized clinical trial involving more than 600 adult patients who were exposed to someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Patients either received seven days of hydroxychloroquine treatment or standard care. Overall, the number of patients who went on to develop symptomatic COVID-19 was almost identical in the two groups—5.7% for the hydroxychloroquine group and 6.2% for the standard care group—and the drug was not associated with a lower incidence of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
More adverse events were actually reported among patients int the hydroxychloroquine group than in the standard care group, though “no treatment-related serious adverse events were reported.”
“Despite the promising in vitro results that placed hydroxychloroquine among the leading candidates for COVID-19 treatment and prophylaxis, there are no compelling data to suggest that hydroxychloroquine is effective,” wrote first author Oriol Mitjà, PhD, of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and colleagues. “We provide evidence on the lack of efficacy of postexposure prophylaxis therapy with hydroxychloroquine to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection or symptomatic COVID-19.”
The full study can be read here.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.