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Published on: October 29, 2015
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Favipiravir for treating COVID-19
Pritish Korula1, Hanna Alexander2, Jisha Sara John2
1Division of Critical Care Medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|February 5, 2024
Summary
The efficacy of favipiravir for treating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains uncertain due to low-certainty evidence. While it may increase adverse events, serious side effects were not significantly different compared to control groups.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Virology
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, presents ongoing global health challenges.
- Favipiravir has been proposed as a potential treatment for COVID-19, but its definitive role is still under investigation.
- Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have evaluated favipiravir, yet conclusive evidence on its efficacy and safety is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effects of favipiravir compared to no treatment, supportive care, or other antiviral treatments in patients with acute COVID-19.
- To synthesize evidence from RCTs regarding favipiravir's efficacy and safety in COVID-19 treatment.
- To evaluate the impact of favipiravir on mortality, disease progression, and adverse events.
Main Methods:
- A systematic search of multiple databases including the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register, MEDLINE, and Embase was conducted up to July 18, 2023.
- Included were 25 RCTs involving 5750 adult participants with COVID-19, predominantly with mild to moderate disease.
- Data were collected and analyzed using standard Cochrane methodologies, with the GRADE approach employed to assess the certainty of evidence.
Main Results:
- Evidence regarding favipiravir's effect on all-cause mortality and progression to invasive mechanical ventilation is of very low certainty.
- Favipiravir showed little to no difference in hospital admission rates or time to clinical improvement.
- An overall increase in adverse events was observed with favipiravir use (low-certainty evidence), but serious adverse events were not significantly different.
Conclusions:
- The current low- to very low-certainty evidence indicates uncertainty regarding favipiravir's efficacy in treating COVID-19, regardless of disease severity.
- Favipiravir treatment may be associated with an increased incidence of overall adverse events.
- There is insufficient evidence to establish a definitive role for favipiravir in COVID-19 management.
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