In high-risk outpatients with COVID-19, neither colchicine nor aspirin reduced disease progression or death at 45 d

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated exploring treatments for outpatients.
• Anti-inflammatory medications like colchicine and aspirin were considered for their potential to mitigate disease severity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of colchicine and aspirin in preventing severe outcomes in community-based patients with COVID-19.

Main Methods:

• An open-label, factorial, randomized controlled trial (ACT trial) was conducted.
• High-risk outpatients with COVID-19 were randomized to receive colchicine, aspirin, both, or neither.

Main Results:

• Neither colchicine nor aspirin, alone or in combination, significantly reduced the primary composite outcome of COVID-19-related hospitalization or death.
• No significant differences were observed in secondary outcomes, including all-cause mortality and need for mechanical ventilation.

Conclusions:

• Colchicine and aspirin are not effective for preventing severe COVID-19 in high-risk outpatients.
• These findings do not support the use of colchicine or aspirin for routine treatment of community-acquired COVID-19.