
Malaria Drug Helps Virus Patients Improve, in Small Study - JaakkoP
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/health/hydroxychloroquine-coronavirus-malaria.html
======
JaakkoP
Abstract from the actual, albeit small study:

Aims: Studies have indicated that chloroquine (CQ) shows antagonism against
COVID-19 in vitro. However, evidence regarding its effects in patients is
limited. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)
in the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Main methods: From February 4 to
February 28, 2020, 62 patients suffering from COVID-19 were diagnosed and
admitted to Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University.

All participants were randomized in a parallel-group trial, 31 patients were
assigned to receive an additional 5-day HCQ (400 mg/d) treatment, Time to
clinical recovery (TTCR), clinical characteristics, and radiological results
were assessed at baseline and 5 days after treatment to evaluate the effect of
HCQ.

Key findings: For the 62 COVID-19 patients, 46.8% (29 of 62) were male and
53.2% (33 of 62) were female, the mean age was 44.7 (15.3) years. No
difference in the age and sex distribution between the control group and the
HCQ group. But for TTCR, the body temperature recovery time and the cough
remission time were significantly shortened in the HCQ treatment group.
Besides, a larger proportion of patients with improved pneumonia in the HCQ
treatment group (80.6%, 25 of 32) compared with the control group (54.8%, 17
of 32).

Notably, all 4 patients progressed to severe illness that occurred in the
control group. However, there were 2 patients with mild adverse reactions in
the HCQ treatment group. Significance: Among patients with COVID-19, the use
of HCQ could significantly shorten TTCR and promote the absorption of
pneumonia.

[https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.22.20040758v...](https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.22.20040758v2)

------
vivalibre
Why are we not comparing infection and death rates from people who take
hydroxychloroquine long-term (e.g. lupus patients) against non-takers of this
drug with the same overall demographics to determine efficacy?

------
zimpenfish
Commentary from a pharma-oriented organic chemist:

[https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/03/31/co...](https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/03/31/comparing-
chloroquine-trials)

TL;DR: better than the French but that's a very very low bar

