A call to caution when hydroxychloroquine is given to elderly patients with COVID-19.
Int J Infect Dis
; 106: 265-268, 2021 May.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1279605
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Use of hydroxychloroquine in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was widespread and uncontrolled until recently. Patients vulnerable to severe COVID-19 are at risk of hydroxychloroquine interactions with co-morbidities and co-medications contributing to detrimental, including fatal, adverse treatment effects.METHODS:
A retrospective survey was undertaken of health conditions and co-medications of patients with COVID-19 who were pre-screened for enrolment in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled hydroxychloroquine multi-centre trial.RESULTS:
The survey involved 305 patients [median age 71 (interquartile range 59-81) years]. The majority of patients (n = 279, 92%) considered for inclusion in the clinical trial were not eligible, mainly due to safety concerns caused by health conditions or co-medications. The most common were QT-prolonging drugs (n = 188, 62%) and haematologic/haemato-oncologic diseases (n = 39, 13%) which prohibited the administration of hydroxychloroquine. In addition, 165 (54%) patients had health conditions and 167 (55%) patients were on co-medications that did not prohibit the use of hydroxychloroquine but had a risk of adverse interactions with hydroxychloroquine. The most common were diabetes (n = 86, 28%), renal insufficiency (n = 69, 23%) and heart failure (n = 58, 19%).CONCLUSION:
The majority of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 had health conditions or took co-medications precluding safe treatment with hydroxychloroquine. Therefore, hydroxychloroquine should be administered with extreme caution in elderly patients with COVID-19, and only in clinical trials.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19 Drug Treatment
/
Hydroxychloroquine
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Int J Infect Dis
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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