Published online Sep 6, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i25.7350
Peer-review started: March 18, 2021
First decision: April 23, 2021
Revised: May 3, 2021
Accepted: July 14, 2021
Article in press: July 14, 2021
Published online: September 6, 2021
To date, no treatment has proven to be effective for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, and further research is necessary. Although arbidol has been widely used in China to treat COVID-19 patients, clinical trials to date have not clearly substantiated this approach.
This study mainly evaluated the efficacy of arbidol in patients with COVID-19 in the early stage of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 epidemic.
This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of arbidol in COVID-19 patients.
Out of the 132 patients, 72 received arbidol treatment, and 60 did not. The disease course of the two groups was compared, and the predictors of extended disease duration were identified.
The disease duration in the arbidol treatment group was shorter. The risk of a prolonged course of disease increased by 7.158 times in the non-arbidol treatment group. Ferritin > 483.0 ng/mL and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) > 237.5 U/L were found to be independent risk factors for protracted cases, with the risk of an extended disease duration increasing to 2.852 times and 5.946 times, respectively.
Abidol can shorten the course of COVID-19 in moderate and severe patients. Ferritin > 486.5 ng/mL and LDH > 239.5 U/L are independent risk factors for delayed recovery from COVID-19.
Early administration of arbidol may be an effective management strategy in some COVID-19 patients, particularly those with increased serum ferritin or elevated LDH.