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Experimental and Compassionate Drug Use During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Single-Center Study.
Assouline, Or; Ben-Chetrit, Eli; Helviz, Yigal; Kurd, Ramzi; Leone, Marc; Einav, Sharon.
  • Assouline O; Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
  • Ben-Chetrit E; Infectious Diseases Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University School of Medicine, Shmu'el Bait St 12, 9103102, Jerusalem, Israel. elibc@szmc.org.il.
  • Helviz Y; Intensive Care Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
  • Kurd R; Corona A Department, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
  • Leone M; Service d'Anaesthésie et de Réanimation, Hôpital Nord, Aix Marseille Université, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France.
  • Einav S; Intensive Care Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
Adv Ther ; 38(10): 5165-5177, 2021 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1368532
ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION:

Concomitant experimental/compassionate drug administration has been all-pervasive in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The objective of this study was to study the relationship between patient severity, the number of experimental/compassionate medications received (main outcome measure), and patient outcomes [survival to hospital discharge and length of hospital stay (LOS)].

METHODS:

Retrospective analysis of data collected in real time during the first pandemic wave in a tertiary care hospital. Data included patient demographics, comorbidities, admission vital signs, laboratory values, most extreme respiratory intervention during hospitalization, and data regarding treatment with compassionate/experimental drugs during their stay.

RESULTS:

Overall, 292 PCR-confirmed patients with symptoms of COVID-19 were studied (March/April, 2020). Increasing respiratory support correlated with both LOS and mortality. Patients were more likely to receive more than 1 experimental/compassionate drugs as respiratory support escalated, ranging from 3% (n = 4/136) among patients on room air to 77.3% (n = 17/22) of mechanically ventilated/ECMO patients (P < 0.001, linear by linear association). The mean number of experimental/compassionate drugs received also increased with escalating respiratory support (P < 0.001, one-way ANOVA). After adjustment for severity of patient condition, administration of more experimental/compassionate drugs was unrelated to survival (P = 0.24), but was related to increased LOS (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION:

Patients that were hospitalized in worse condition were more likely to receive more experimental/compassionate drugs. Treatment was unrelated to survival but may have been related to LOS. This finding raises questions regarding the results of studies on medication effects that adjusted for multiple drug administration.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pharmaceutical Preparations / COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Adv Ther Journal subject: Therapeutics Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S12325-021-01890-9

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pharmaceutical Preparations / COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Adv Ther Journal subject: Therapeutics Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S12325-021-01890-9