Hydroxychloroquine for Prophylaxis of COVID-19 in Health Workers: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2022 Feb 9

PMID 35139097

Authors

Jorge Rojas-Serrano

Angelica Margarita Portillo-Vasquez

Ireri Thirion-Romero

Joel Vazquez-Perez

Fidencio Mejia-Nepomuceno

Alejandra Ramirez-Venegas

Karla Midori Perez-Kawabe

Rogelio Perez-Padilla

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Health care workers are at high risk of being infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Our aim is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for prophylaxis of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) in health personnel exposed to patients infected by SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: Double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled single center clinical trial. Included subjects were health care workers caring for severe COVID-19 patients. Main outcome was time to symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Results: 127 subjects with a confirmed baseline negative RT-PCR SARS-CoV2 test were included in the trial. 62 assigned to HCQ and 65 to placebo. One subject (1.6%) in the HCQ group and 6 (9.2%) subjects in the placebo group developed COVID-19 (Log-Rank test p = 0.07). No severe COVID-19 cases were observed. The study was suspended because of a refusal to participate and losses to follow up after several trials reported lack of effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Conclusion: The effect size of hydroxychloroquine was higher than placebo for COVID-19 symptomatic infection in health personnel, although this was not statistically significant. The trial is underpowered due to the failure to complete the estimated sample size.

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