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COVID-19: A review of therapeutics under investigation

James C Crosby1, Matthew A Heimann1, Samuel L Burleson1

  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USA.

Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open
|August 25, 2020
PubMed

Insights

This review examines current evidence for COVID-19 treatments like remdesivir and hydroxychloroquine. It highlights the need for more clinical trials to confirm the efficacy of these emerging therapies for coronavirus disease 2019.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted global healthcare systems and economies.
  • Numerous drugs are being administered to COVID-19 patients based on theoretical or in vitro data.
  • Evidence supporting many current therapeutic strategies for COVID-19 remains limited, with ongoing or pending clinical trials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and summarize the existing evidence for medications under investigation for treating COVID-19.
  • To provide an overview of therapies including remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, and others.
  • To identify gaps in knowledge regarding the efficacy of COVID-19 treatments.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of current scientific literature.
  • Analysis of evidence for selected pharmacological and biological therapies.
  • Identification of ongoing and planned clinical trials for COVID-19 treatments.

Main Results:

  • Remdesivir, chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine, convalescent plasma, lopinavir/ritonavir, IL-6 inhibitors, corticosteroids, and ACE inhibitors are among the treatments reviewed.
  • Significant variability exists in the level of evidence supporting these interventions.
  • Efficacy data from robust clinical trials are often lacking or preliminary.

Conclusions:

  • The current evidence base for many COVID-19 treatments is insufficient.
  • Further rigorous clinical trials are essential to establish the safety and efficacy of these medications.
  • A comprehensive understanding of treatment effectiveness is crucial for managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords:
COVID‐19IL‐6SARS‐CoV‐2chloroquinecoronaviruslopinavirmedicationsremdesivirtherapeutics

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