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THIS LINK Early Hydroxychloroquine Is Associated with an Increase of Survival in COVID-19 Patients: An Observational Study
ABSTRACT:
Abstract Background: There is no treatment proven effective against COVID-19. Several drugs with in vitro potential against SARS-CoV-2 virus have been proposed. Hydroxychloroquine has in vitro anti-viral and immunomodulatory activity, but there is no current clinical evidence of its effectiveness changing the outcome of the disease.
Methods: We enrolled all 18-85 years old inpatients from Central Defense Hospital “Gómez Ulla”, Madrid, Spain, who were hospitalised for COVID-19 and had a definitive outcome (dead or discharged).
We used a statistical survival analysis to detect treatment differences associated with in-hospital death. Results: We analysed first 220 medical records. 166 patients met the inclusion criteria. 48,8 % of patients not treated with HCQ died, 22% of those treated with hydroxychloroquine (p=0,002). According to clinical picture at admission,
hydroxychloroquine increased the mean cumulative survival in all groups from 1,4 to 1,8 times.
This difference was statistically significant in the mild group.
Conclusions: in a cohort of 166 patients from 18 to 85 years hospitalised with COVID-19, hydroxychloroquine treatment with 800 mg added loading dose increased survival when patients were admitted in early stages of the disease. There was a non-statistically significant trend towards survival in all groups, which will have to be clarified in subsequent studies.
This difference was statistically significant in the mild group.Translated into common speech, it means give the drug early, don't wait until the patient is terminal.