corona virus

Evidence-Based Use of Therapeutics for Ambulatory Patients with COVID-19

EMKF

Currently only a few treatments available help mildly ill patients – people who have COVID-19 who do not require admission to hospital. Drugs like azithromycin, bamlanivimab, colchicine, hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, lopinavir-ritonavir, and vitamin D do not help patients with COVID-19, and may cause harm. 

Dexamethasone, a steroid that can be given in pill form, may benefit patients who are at home but need supplemental oxygen, but does not help patients who are mildly ill who do not need supplemental oxygen. 

Budesonide, a steroid that can be inhaled (from a “puffer”), has no effect on whether patients with mild COVID-19 get sicker, are hospitalized, or die. But there is weak evidence that inhaled budesonide 800 mcg twice daily for 14 days may make patients feel better a few days earlier, so doctors may consider prescribing it.

A living WHO guideline on drugs for COVID-19

EMKF
This living guideline responds to emerging evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on existing and new drug treatments for covid-19. More than 2800 trials on covid-19 interventions have been registered or are ongoing. Among these are large national and international platform trials (such as RECOVERY, WHO SOLIDARITY, and DISCOVERY) that recruit large numbers of patients, with a pragmatic and adaptive design. These platform trials are currently investigating and reporting on drugs such as antiviral monoclonal antibodies and immunomodulators. This rapidly evolving evidence landscape requires trustworthy interpretation and expeditious clinical practice guidelines to inform clinicians, patients, governments, ministries, and health administrators.

Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks in protecting health care workers from acute respiratory infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

EMKF

Medical masks can be used to prevent the spread of respiratory infections. Although N95 respirators appeared to have a protective advantage over surgical masks in laboratory settings, our meta-analysis showed that there were insufficient data to determine definitively whether N95 respirators are superior to surgical masks in protecting health care workers against transmissible acute respiratory infections in clinical settings.