Early treatment of Favipiravir in COVID-19 patients without pneumonia: a multicentre, open-labelled, randomized control study
Issued Date
2022-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
22221751
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85138459183
Pubmed ID
35997325
Journal Title
Emerging Microbes and Infections
Volume
11
Issue
1
Start Page
2197
End Page
2206
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Emerging Microbes and Infections Vol.11 No.1 (2022) , 2197-2206
Suggested Citation
Sirijatuphat R., Manosuthi W., Niyomnaitham S., Owen A., Copeland K.K., Charoenpong L., Rattanasompattikul M., Mahasirimongkol S., Wichukchinda N., Chokephaibulkit K. Early treatment of Favipiravir in COVID-19 patients without pneumonia: a multicentre, open-labelled, randomized control study. Emerging Microbes and Infections Vol.11 No.1 (2022) , 2197-2206. 2206. doi:10.1080/22221751.2022.2117092 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/85044
Title
Early treatment of Favipiravir in COVID-19 patients without pneumonia: a multicentre, open-labelled, randomized control study
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
We investigated Favipiravir (FPV) efficacy in mild cases of COVID-19 without pneumonia and its effects towards viral clearance, clinical condition, and risk of COVID-19 pneumonia development. PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2-infected patients without pneumonia were enrolled (2:1) within 10 days of symptomatic onset into FPV and control arms. The former received 1800 mg FPV twice-daily (BID) on Day 1 and 800 mg BID 5–14 days thereafter until negative viral detection, while the latter received only supportive care. The primary endpoint was time to clinical improvement, defined by a National Early Warning Score (NEWS) of ≤1. 62 patients (41 female) comprised the FPV arm (median age: 32 years, median BMI: 22 kg/m²) and 31 patients (19 female) comprised the control arm (median age: 28 years, median BMI: 22 kg/m²). The median time to sustained clinical improvement, by NEWS, was 2 and 14 days for FPV and control arms, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 2.77, 95% CI 1.57–4.88, P <.001). The FPV arm also had significantly higher likelihoods of clinical improvement within 14 days after enrolment by NEWS (79% vs. 32% respectively, P <.001). 8 (12.9%) and 7 (22.6%) patients in FPV and control arms developed mild pneumonia at a median (range) of 6.5 (1–13) and 7 (1–13) days after treatment, respectively (P =.316). All recovered well without complications. We can conclude that early treatment of FPV in symptomatic COVID-19 patients without pneumonia was associated with faster clinical improvement. Trial registration: Thai Clinical Trials Registry identifier: TCTR20200514001.