Abstract
Objectives: Early in vitro studies have suggested that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is a potentially useful drug against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections. This study was conducted to determine whether HCQ had a preventive effect on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in rheumatic disease patients who were taking HCQ.
Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using the records of the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) claim records. The clinical data of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 were investigated. We compared the attack rate of COVID-19 between those who underwent HCQ therapy within 14 days before the test for SARS-CoV-2 (HCQ users) and HCQ non-users. Data were analysed using logistic regression models, χ 2 , and Student’s t-tests.
Results: As of 15th May 2020, 2066 patients with RA or SLE were tested for COVID-19. Among them, 31.4% (649/2066) were treated with HCQ. Most HCQ users (93.7%, 608/649) were taking 200-400 mg/day recommended for the treatment of rheumatic diseases. The attack rate of COVID-19 in the HCQ users (2.3%, 15/649) did not differ from that in the HCQ non-users (2.2%, 31/1417) (p 0.86).
Conclusions: HCQ prophylactic use at a usual dose did not prevent COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic disease.
Keywords: COVID-19; Hydroxychloroquine; Pre-exposure prophylaxis; Rheumatic diseases; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Rheumatic diseases, Hydroxychloroquine, pre-exposure prophylaxis, 【초록키워드】 Treatment, coronavirus disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2, Arthritis, review, Rheumatic diseases, Coronavirus disease 2019, Usual dose, coronavirus, Hydroxychloroquine, systemic lupus erythematosus, Prophylactic, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, rheumatoid arthritis, infections, attack rate, Patient, HCQ, assessment, disease, Korean, lupus erythematosus, rheumatic disease, SLE, Health Insurance, student, retrospective cohort study, insurance, acute respiratory syndrome, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Clinical data, in vitro study, logistic regression models, MOST, T-tests, Prevent, HCQ therapy, HIRA, not differ, tested, investigated, conducted, analysed, treated, determine, suggested, COVID-19 in patient, 【제목키워드】 Hydroxychloroquine, disease, population-based cohort, Effect, infection with SARS-CoV-2,