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Continued use of azithromycin for mild COVID-19 in India: Evidence and implications?

Shubham Atal1, Saurav Misra1, Sadasivam Balakrishnan1

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
|March 14, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Azithromycin, an antibiotic, shows no proven benefit for COVID-19 despite its common use. Indiscriminate use risks antibiotic resistance, a serious public health concern during the pandemic.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Azithromycin is a widely prescribed antibiotic for various infections.
  • Pre-clinical studies suggested potential benefits of azithromycin against SARS-CoV-2.
  • This led to its widespread use in COVID-19 treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the clinical efficacy of azithromycin in COVID-19 patients.
  • To assess the evidence supporting azithromycin's use in mild to moderate COVID-19.
  • To address the implications of its indiscriminate use.

Main Methods:

  • Review of observational studies on azithromycin in COVID-19.
  • Analysis of data from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in mild-moderate COVID-19.
  • Assessment of clinical outcome parameters.

Main Results:

  • Observational studies and RCTs show no or very low-quality evidence of azithromycin's benefit in COVID-19.
  • Despite lack of evidence, the drug is still widely used in some regions.

Conclusions:

  • The indiscriminate use of azithromycin for COVID-19 should cease.
  • Continued injudicious use poses a significant risk of developing antibiotic resistance.
  • This poses a serious threat to public health, especially during the pandemic.
Keywords:
AzithromycinCOVID-19antimicrobial resistance

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