This study has me scratching my head. Their first study seemed like they rushed it out the door to light the fire for some more research. This study seems like they're deliberately hiding things from us or trying to remain obscure.
Methods:
This is an observational study, meaning they didn't have any controls.
80% of patients got a CT chest and (almost) every patient had a daily nasopharyngeal swab.
They all got an EKG before treatment and two days after treatment began. They had criteria to not start therapy based on some findings listed in the article.
Treatment regimen:
Hydroxychloroquine 200mg three time a day for 10 days
Azithromycin 500mg on day 1, then 250 daily for 4 days
End points (these are not your typical endpoints):
They all got an EKG before treatment and two days after treatment began. They had criteria to not start therapy based on some findings listed in the article.
Treatment regimen:
Hydroxychloroquine 200mg three time a day for 10 days
Azithromycin 500mg on day 1, then 250 daily for 4 days
End points (these are not your typical endpoints):
Clinical Outcome (oxygen therapy or ICU transfer)
Contagiousness by PCR and culture
Length of stay in the ID ward
Things to know:
n=80
4 patients were asymptomatic carriers (then why were they in the COVID unit?)
92% of the patients were less ill based on their made up NEWS score
52.8% had lower respiratory infections/pneumonia.
Results:
We don't have any controls to know if this is the normal course of the infection or if the hydroxychloroquine actually worked or not. I forgive them for not having controls in the prior study but this is now too much.
93.8% were discharged with a low NEWS score. Don't forget that 92% had a low news score to begin with!
3 patients still ended up in the ICU.
The nasopharyngeal viral load fell. Sure. Cool. Thanks. But does this normally fall at this rate without treatment? We need controls. Is the decrease in contagiousness the normal evolution or the drugs working? We don't know. No controls.
I'm tired of reviewing this study. You all get my point. I am in favor of trying it, but I feel like there's some academic dishonesty happening here.
I really want this to work. I really really do. We need some good news but we also need to solidify our management with better data.
-EJ
Link to full FREE PDF
Although great care has been taken to ensure that the information in this post is accurate, eddyjoemd, LLC shall not be held responsible or in any way liable for the continued accuracy of the information, or for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies, or for any consequences arising therefrom.
Contagiousness by PCR and culture
Length of stay in the ID ward
Things to know:
n=80
4 patients were asymptomatic carriers (then why were they in the COVID unit?)
92% of the patients were less ill based on their made up NEWS score
52.8% had lower respiratory infections/pneumonia.
Results:
We don't have any controls to know if this is the normal course of the infection or if the hydroxychloroquine actually worked or not. I forgive them for not having controls in the prior study but this is now too much.
93.8% were discharged with a low NEWS score. Don't forget that 92% had a low news score to begin with!
3 patients still ended up in the ICU.
The nasopharyngeal viral load fell. Sure. Cool. Thanks. But does this normally fall at this rate without treatment? We need controls. Is the decrease in contagiousness the normal evolution or the drugs working? We don't know. No controls.
I'm tired of reviewing this study. You all get my point. I am in favor of trying it, but I feel like there's some academic dishonesty happening here.
I really want this to work. I really really do. We need some good news but we also need to solidify our management with better data.
-EJ
Link to full FREE PDF
Although great care has been taken to ensure that the information in this post is accurate, eddyjoemd, LLC shall not be held responsible or in any way liable for the continued accuracy of the information, or for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies, or for any consequences arising therefrom.
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