Abstract
Background: The Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant has spread quickly worldwide due to its effects on virus transmission and vaccine effectiveness. Interferon(IFN) has been shown to have a protective effect against SARS-CoV because of its broad antiviral activity. This study aimed to analyze the treatment effects of IFN α-2b spray in virus clearance of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant.
Methods: We examined the effectiveness and safety of IFN α-2b spray in Shanghai, China, with participants infected with the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant in an open, prospective cohort study from April 16th to May 5th, 2022.
Results: A total of 871 confirmed patients were enrolled in this study. Four hundred and thirteen patients were allocated to the IFN α-2b spray group, and 458 patients were allocated to the control group. The viral shedding time was significantly different between experimental group and control group (11.90 vs.12.58, P < 0.05). In the experimental group, the median administration time since the first positive test for SARS-CoV-2 was three days, ranging from 0 to 15 days. There was no obvious adverse effect associated with the spray of IFN α-2b. The univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the administration time since the first positive test ≤3 days was a protective factor associated with viral shedding time (HR 0.81 95% CI 0.74-0.87, P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that the viral shedding time was 10.41 (4.00-16.00) days in the ≤3 days group, which was significantly less than that in the control group (12.58, 95% CI: 7.00-19.15, P < 0.0001) and in the >3 days group (13.56, 95%CI: 7.00-22.25, P < 0.0001).
Conclusions: IFN α-2b spray shortened the viral shedding time of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant when administrated within three days since the first positive test for SARS-CoV-2.
Keywords: COVID-19; IFN α-2b spray; SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant; cohort study; viral shedding time.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, cohort study, SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, IFN α-2b spray, viral shedding time, 【초록키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, Vaccine, SARS-CoV-2 variant, interferon, viral shedding, virus transmission, antiviral activity, prospective cohort study, omicron, cohort study, Spread, China, Cohort, Patient, Effectiveness, IFN, Omicron variant, Shanghai, protective effect, administration, Analysis, adverse effect, control group, 95% CI, virus clearance, experimental group, protective factor, participant, treatment effects, subgroup analysis, spray, Effect, first positive, IFN α, univariate Cox regression analysis, enrolled, shown, examined, significantly, less, against SARS-CoV, the median, treatment effect, univariate Cox regression, 【제목키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, viral shedding, omicron,