Use of ivermectin in the treatment of Covid-19: A pilot trial

Henrique Pott-Junior, Mônica Maria Bastos Paoliello, Alice de Queiroz Constantino Miguel, Anderson Ferreira da Cunha, Caio Cesar de Melo Freire, Fábio Fernandes Neves, Lucimar Retto da Silva de Avó, Meliza Goi Roscani, Sigrid De Sousa Dos Santos, Silvana Gama Florêncio Chachá, Henrique Pott-Junior, Mônica Maria Bastos Paoliello, Alice de Queiroz Constantino Miguel, Anderson Ferreira da Cunha, Caio Cesar de Melo Freire, Fábio Fernandes Neves, Lucimar Retto da Silva de Avó, Meliza Goi Roscani, Sigrid De Sousa Dos Santos, Silvana Gama Florêncio Chachá

Abstract

Objectives: In this randomized open-label trial pilot study we assessed the antiviral effects and safety of various doses of ivermectin in patients with mild clinical symptoms of COVID-19.

Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to receive standard of care (SOC) treatment at hospital admission; SOC plus ivermectin 100 mcg/kg; SOC plus ivermectin 200 mcg/kg; or SOC plus ivermectin 400 mcg/kg. The primary assessed endpoint was the proportion of patients who achieved two consecutive negative SARS-CoV-2 RT PCR tests within 7 days of the start of the dosing period. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04431466).

Results: A total of 32 patients were enrolled and randomized to treatment. SOC treatment together with ivermectin did not result in any serious adverse events. All patients exhibited a reduction in SARS-CoV-2 viral load within 7 days; however, those who received ivermectin had a more consistent decrease as compared to the SOC alone group, characterized by a shorter time for obtaining two consecutive negative SARS-CoV-2 RT PCR tests.

Conclusions: Ivermectin is safe in patients with SARS-CoV-2, reducing symptomatology and the SARS-CoV-2 viral load. This antiviral effect appears to depend on the dose used, and if confirmed in future studies, it suggests that ivermectin may be a useful adjuvant to the SOC treatment in patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms.

Keywords: COVID-19; Ivermectin; SARS-CoV-2.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

© 2021 The Author(s).

Figures

Graphical abstract
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Patient flow diagram. Patients with COVID-19 were followed for 28 days, with intermediate visits during follow-up days 1 through 7, and returned for follow-up visit 3 weeks after the end of the study dosing period.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mean changes in cycle threshold values for (A) Pooled intervention groups (SOC vs Pooled ivermectin), (B) Individual groups during study dosing period.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Group-wise median cycle threshold reduction values from day 1 to 7.

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Source: PubMed

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