RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The largest study ever conducted on hydroxychloroquine in Brazil showed that the drug is ineffective in treating the novel coronavirus.
The medication was administered for up to 15 days and, at the end of the period, neither its use alone nor when combined with azithromycin showed any benefit over the standard treatment for cases of the disease.
Chloroquine also failed to reduce the virus’ mortality, and the number of deaths in 15 days for patients treated with chloroquine was similar to that of patients treated with other drugs.
Some 667 patients took part in the study; men were the majority and volunteers had mild or moderate cases of the disease.
The study, conducted by the union of Brazilian hospitals named ‘Coalização Covid-19’ (Covid-19 Coalition), was randomized and divided into three groups, one administered the standard treatment for Covid-19, another administered the standard treatment plus a 400 milligram dose of the drug twice daily, and a third group taking the two doses of chloroquine plus 500 milligrams of azithromycin for 7 days.
The results were collected between March 29th and June 2nd.
The study also shows that EKG alterations are more common in people who were treated with chloroquine, as well as liver damage.
The Brazilian study is released exactly one week after scientists at Oxford University stated in a preliminary study that chloroquine has no benefits against the virus and that it is also responsible for the worsening of the disease and the death of some patients.
The Brazilian research study was published in the New England Medical Journal.
Source: Exame