Study: Hydroxychloroquine reduces COVID-19 mortality risk by 30%

Editor's Note

This Italian study finds that patients treated with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) had a 30% lower in-hospital mortality rate compared to those not receiving this treatment.

Researchers examined outcomes of 3,451 patients in 33 COVID-19-focused hospitals throughout Italy. Of these, 2,634 patients received HCQ.

Timing of the first dose after admission was 1 day for the large majority of centers and 2 to 3 days for others. Duration of treatment ranged from 5 to 15 days. HCQ was administered at 400mg/day (two centers gave 600 mg/day).

Death rates per 1,000 person days for patients receiving HCQ were 8.9, compared with 15.7 for those not receiving HCQ. Results of multivariable analyses were similar.

The inverse association of HCQ with inpatient mortality was more prominent in patients having elevated C-reactive protein on admission.

Within the limits of an observational study and awaiting results from randomized controlled trials, the findings do not discourage the use of HCQ in COVID-19 inpatients, the researchers say.