The Efficacy of Ivermectin and Metronidazole vs. Standard Treatment Protocols on Outcomes of COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients: A Triple-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

AuthorMohammad Reza Heydarien
AuthorYekta Rahimien
AuthorZohre Foroozanfaren
AuthorAlireza Mirahmadizadehen
AuthorAnahita Sanaei Dashtien
AuthorSima Afrashtehen
AuthorShiva Aminniaen
AuthorNilofar Dehdari Ebrahimien
AuthorAlireza Sadeghien
AuthorAmirsalar Motamedien
AuthorMohammad Hosein Yazdanpanahen
AuthorMohammad Ali Davarpanahen
AuthorHossein Faramarzien
AuthorForoogh Nejatollahien
AuthorHassan Joulaeien
OrcidMohammad Reza Heydari [0000-0003-4124-6085]en
OrcidZohre Foroozanfar [0000-0002-0901-0972]en
OrcidSima Afrashteh [0000-0002-4276-2084]en
OrcidShiva Aminnia [0000-0003-4238-3532]en
OrcidHassan Joulaei [0000-0002-8498-5331]en
Issued Date2022-10-31en
AbstractBackground: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has turned into a global public health crisis since the end of 2019. It may thus take years to develop new drugs, so evaluating the existing ones can play a key role in suppressing or even mitigating the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Objectives: This study reflected on the effects of ivermectin (IVM) and metronidazole (MTR) vs. standard treatment protocols on symptoms, humoral immune responses, and outcomes of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. Methods: This triple-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT) of IVM and MTR vs. standard treatment protocols was conducted from February 2021 to May 2021. A total number of 107 participants were accordingly selected from all patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and positive results for SARS-CoV-2 based on the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or the computerized tomography (CT) scan results at 3 teaching hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. In this RCT, several indicators, including some vital signs, biomedical parameter, length of hospital stay (LOS), and death, were considered the outcomes. Results: A total number of 107 patients were recruited in this study. The results revealed that 10 patients (10.4%) expired during hospitalization. The mortality rate in IVM group (4.5%) was lower compared with MTZ (15.8%) and standard treatment (11.8%) (P = 169). After 5 days, the mean differences of lymphocyte and neutrophil counts differed significantly between groups (P = 0.020 and P = 0.029, respectively). But, other outcomes did not differ (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Based on this RCT, neither IVM nor MTZ could significantly affect COVID-19 patients’ recovery patterns compared with the standard treatment protocols. Hence, more studies are needed to test diverse combinations of immunological response triggering and anti-inflammatory drugs. Moreover, including and relying on IVM in clinical guidelines for COVID-19 should be cautioned and based on more evidence.en
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.5812/archcid-122525en
KeywordCOVID-19en
KeywordIvermectinen
KeywordMetronidazoleen
KeywordRandomized Controlled Trialen
KeywordClinical Protocolsen
PublisherBrieflandsen
TitleThe Efficacy of Ivermectin and Metronidazole vs. Standard Treatment Protocols on Outcomes of COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients: A Triple-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trialen
TypeResearch Articleen

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