Abstract
Background: Colchicine has been used an effective anti-inflammatory drug to treat gout diseases. Owing to its pharmacodynamic of inhibiting interleukins, it has been repurposed to target the cytokine storm post-SARS-CoV-2 invasion. The goal of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the safety profile of colchicine in COVID-19 patients using the gold-standard randomised-control trials.
Methods: Electronic databases (Pubmed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane) were systematically searched until June 2021 and RCTs were extracted. Outcomes of interest included all-cause mortality, COVID-19 severity, mechanical ventilation, C-reactive protein and D-dimer levels. Using a random-effects model, dichotomous outcomes were pooled using odds ratios (OR) through the generic inverse variance formula while weighted mean differences were calculated using the Wan’s method. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant for all outcomes.
Results: A total population of 16,048 from five RCTs were included in the analysis. Of this, 7957 were randomized to colchicine, and 8091 received standard care, with an average age of 60.67 years. Colchicine was observed to significantly reduce COVID-19 severity (OR: 0.41, 95% CI [0.22, 0.76]; p = 0.005), and CRP levels (WMD: -19.99, 95% CI [-32.09, -7.89]; p = 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in D-dimer levels (WMD: 0.31, 95% CI [-0.61, 1.23]; p = 0.51), mechanical ventilation (OR: 0.42, 95% CI [0.17, 1.03]; p = 0.06; I2 = 74%) and all-cause mortality (OR: 0.98, 95% CI [0.83, 1.16]; p = 0.84) among patients receiving colchicine or standard care.
Conclusion: Colchicine treatment decreased CRP levels and COVID-19 severity, with dimer levels, all-cause mortality and mechanical ventilation remaining seemingly unaffected. Thus, clinical trials need to be carried out that allow effective evaluation of colchicine in COVID-19 patients.
【초록키워드】 Treatment, Meta-analysis, Cytokine storm, clinical trial, Diseases, Interleukins, mechanical ventilation, COVID-19 severity, clinical trials, C-reactive protein, outcome, database, RCT, outcomes, Randomized, Patient, age, Colchicine, Gout, trials, safety profile, COVID-19 patients, RCTs, D-dimer level, Analysis, Odds ratio, COVID-19 patient, Invasion, average age, Google Scholar, D-dimer levels, P-value, 95% CI, no significant difference, standard care, CRP levels, Odds ratios, average, all-cause mortality, mean difference, treat, total population, random-effects model, p-values, anti-inflammatory drug, CRP level, FIVE, effective, colchicine treatment, evaluate, carried, significantly, receiving, calculated, searched, reduce, statistically significant, inhibiting, the cytokine storm, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, Meta-analysis, Efficacy, Safety, systematic review, randomized control trial,