Does Famotidine Reduce the Risk of Progression to Severe Disease, Death, and Intubation for COVID-19 Patients? A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis

Overview

Journal Dig Dis Sci

Specialty Gastroenterology

Date 2021 Feb 24

PMID 33625613

Citations 14

Authors

Chenyu Sun

Yue Chen

Lei Hu

Yile Wu

Mingming Liang

Mubashir Ayaz Ahmed

Chandur Bhan

Zhichun Guo

Hongru Yang

Yijing Zuo

Yue Yan

Qin Zhou

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Famotidine was reported to potentially provide benefits to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. However, it remains controversial whether it is effective in treating COVID-19.

Aims: This study aimed to explore whether famotidine use is associated with reduced risk of the severity, death, and intubation for COVID-19 patients.

Methods: This study was registered on International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (ID: CRD42020213536). A comprehensive search was performed to identify relevant studies up to October 2020. I-squared statistic and Q-test were utilized to assess the heterogeneity. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated through the random effects or fixed effects model according to the heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias assessment were also conducted.

Results: Five studies including 36,635 subjects were included. We found that famotidine use was associated with a statistically non-significant reduced risk of progression to severe disease, death, and intubation for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients (pooled RR was 0.82, 95% CI = 0.52-1.30, P = 0.40).

Conclusion: Famotidine has no significant protective effect in reducing the risk of developing serious illness, death, and intubation for COVID-19 patients. More original studies are needed to further clarify whether it is associated with reduced risk of the severity, death, and intubation for COVID-19 patients.

Citing Articles

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