[Incidence of COVID-19 in patients under chronic treatment with hydroxychloroquine]

Francisco Tejada Cifuentes1, Ángeles Lloret Callejo1, María José Tirado Peláez1

  • 1Gerencia de Atención Integrada de Albacete, Albacete, España.

Medicina Clinica
|December 14, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Chronic hydroxychloroquine use did not correlate with COVID-19 incidence. This study found no link between long-term hydroxychloroquine use and COVID-19 infection rates in patients.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Hydroxychloroquine has been investigated for its potential role in managing viral infections.
  • Understanding the impact of chronic medication use on disease incidence is crucial for public health.
  • Previous research on hydroxychloroquine and viral infections has yielded mixed results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence of COVID-19 in patients with chronic hydroxychloroquine use.
  • To determine if long-term hydroxychloroquine treatment affects the likelihood of contracting COVID-19.

Main Methods:

  • A multicenter, cross-sectional, retrospective observational study was conducted.
  • Data from 3817 participants with valid records were analyzed.
  • COVID-19 infection was diagnosed via clinical, serological, or PCR methods; sociodemographic, clinical, and comorbidity data were collected.

Main Results:

  • The incidence of COVID-19 was 4.45% (169 patients), with a 7.1% mortality rate and 18.9% hospital admission rate among infected individuals.
  • Previous respiratory pathology was significantly associated with COVID-19 infection (P<.05).
  • Maculopathy occurred in 5.3% of patients, significantly related to hydroxychloroquine dosage (P<.05).

Conclusions:

  • There is no observed relationship between the chronic use of hydroxychloroquine and the incidence of COVID-19.
  • The study highlights potential side effects of hydroxychloroquine, such as maculopathy, which are dose-dependent.
  • Further research may be needed to explore other potential impacts of hydroxychloroquine on patient health outcomes.
Abstract

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