Therapeutic Effectiveness of Interferon-α2b Against COVID-19: The Cuban Experience.

A prospective observational study was conducted for assessing the therapeutic efficacy of interferon (IFN)-α2b in patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the first month after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak began in Cuba. From March 11th to April 14th, 814 patients were confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positive in Cuba. Seven hundred sixty-one (93.4%) were treated with a combination of oral antivirals (lopinavir/ritonavir and chloroquine) with intramuscular administration of IFN-α2b (Heberon® Alpha R, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba), 3 times per week, for 2 weeks. Fifty-three patients received the approved COVID protocol without IFN treatment. The proportion of patients discharged from hospital (without clinical and radiological symptoms and nondetectable virus by real-time polymerase chain reaction) was higher in the IFN-treated compared with the non-IFN treated group (95.4% vs. 26.1%, P < 0.01). The case fatality rate (CFR) for all patients was 2.95%, and for those patients who received IFN-α2b the CFR was reduced to 0.92. Intensive care was required for 82 patients (10.1%), 42 (5.5%) had been treated with IFN. This report provides preliminary evidence for the therapeutic effectiveness of IFN-α2b for COVID-19 and suggests that the use of Heberon Alpha R may contribute to complete recovery of patients.

Therapeutic Effectiveness of Interferon Alpha 2b Treatment for COVID-19 Patient Recovery.

A previous report on 814 patients who were coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive provided preliminary therapeutic efficacy evidence with interferon-α2b (IFN-α2b) in Cuba, from March 11 to April 14, 2020. This study re-evaluates the effectiveness of IFN-α2b during the period from March 11 to June 17, 2020. Patients received a combination of oral antivirals (lopinavir/ritonavir and chloroquine) with intramuscular or subcutaneous administration of IFN-α2b. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients discharged from the hospital; the secondary endpoint was the case fatality rate, and several outcomes related to time variables were also evaluated. From March 11 to June 17, 2,295 patients had been confirmed to be severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) positive in Cuba, 2,165 were treated with Heberon® Alpha R, and 130 received the approved protocol without IFN. The proportion of fully recovered patients was higher in the IFN-treated compared with the non-IFN-treated group. Prior IFN treatment decreases the likelihood of intensive care and increases the survival after severe or critical diseases. Benefits of IFN were significantly supported by time variables analyzed. This second report confirmed our preliminary evidence about the therapeutic effectiveness of IFN-α2b in SARS-CoV-2 infection and postulated Heberon Alpha R as the main component within antiviral drugs used in the Cuban protocol COVID-19.

Emergency Surgery in Urology during the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT Proposal: To highlight the indications for emergency surgery during the 2019 Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) that support recommendations published in midMarch 2020 by the American Confederation of Urology on its website. Materials and Methods: A bibliographic search was conducted in PubMed and Cochrane Library to perform a non-systematic review, using key words: Urology, Emergency and COVID-19, to determine recommendations for patients that should receive emergency care due to urological pathology. Results: The main recommendations and protocols in the management of different urological emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic are reviewed and discussed. Conclusions: We are living a new condition with the COVID-19 pandemic, which obliges urologists to conform to the guidelines that appear on a daily basis formulated by multidisciplinary surgical groups to manage urological emergencies. Consequently, in this time of health crisis, we must adapt to the resources available, implementing all biosecurity measures to protect patients and all health personnel who are in charge of patient management.

Emergency Surgery in Urology during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Proposal: To highlight the indications for emergency surgery during the 2019 Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) that support recommendations published in mid-March 2020 by the American Confederation of Urology on its website. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A bibliographic search was conducted in PubMed and Cochrane Library to perform a non-systematic review, using key words: Urology, Emergency and COVID-19, to determine recommendations for patients that should receive emergency care due to urological pathology. RESULTS: The main recommendations and protocols in the management of different urological emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic are reviewed and discussed. CONCLUSIONS: We are living a new condition with the COVID-19 pandemic, which obliges urologists to conform to the guidelines that appear on a daily basis formulated by multidisciplinary surgical groups to manage urological emergencies. Consequently, in this time of health crisis, we must adapt to the resources available, implementing all biosecurity measures to protect patients and all health personnel who are in charge of patient management.