| Title: |
Efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in pre-exposure severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 prophylaxis among high-risk healthcare workers: A multicenter study |
| Authors: |
Elahe Nasri, Hamed Fakhim, Mehrdad Salahi, Safiyeh Ghafel, Samane Pourajam, Ali Darakhshandeh, Nazila Kassaian, Somayeh Sadeghi, Behrooz Ataei, Shaghayegh Haghjooy Javanmard, Afsane Vaezi |
| Source: |
Advanced Biomedical Research, Vol 12, Iss 1, Pp 3-3 (2023) |
| Publisher Information: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2023. |
| Publication Year: |
2023 |
| Collection: |
LCC:Medicine
LCC:Biology (General) |
| Subject Terms: |
covid-19, health-care workers, hydroxychloroquine, prophylaxis, Medicine, Biology (General), QH301-705.5 |
| More Details: |
Background: Prophylaxis could be an established strategy to potentially prevent and control infectious diseases and should be considered in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine as a prophylaxis treatment strategy in the reduction of the risk of COVID-19 among health professionals. Materials and Methods: The health professionals were randomly assigned (1:1) to the control group without receiving any hydroxychloroquine as prophylaxis and the hydroxychloroquine group receiving a weekly hydroxychloroquine dose of 400 mg up to 12 weeks. Results: A total of 146 health professionals were randomly enrolled in this study between August 11 and November 11 in 2020. Among the screened health professionals, 21 (14.6%) were infected with COVID-19 during the 12 weeks, and 14 (66.6%) out of the 21 health professionals were in the control group. Most participants with COVID-19 had mild symptoms (62%). In addition, 9.5% (n = 2) of the participants suffered from moderate disease and 28.5% were diagnosed with severe symptoms. In the hydroxychloroquine group, 5 (7.1%) and 2 (2.8%) participants were reported with mild and moderate symptoms of COVID-19, respectively, and 2 participants had moderate, 8 (10.9%) participants had mild symptoms, and 6 (8.2%) participants had severe symptoms in the control group, within 3 months. Severe symptoms of COVID-19 were not observed in the hydroxychloroquine group. Conclusion: This study addressed the effect and benefit of hydroxychloroquine administration for the prevention of COVID-19 among health professionals. The improved perception of prophylaxis might highlight its important role in future COVID-19 outbreaks to prevent hospital transmission, which is a major route of spread. |
| Document Type: |
article |
| File Description: |
electronic resource |
| Language: |
English |
| ISSN: |
2277-9175 |
| Relation: |
http://www.advbiores.net/article.asp?issn=2277-9175;year=2023;volume=12;issue=1;spage=3;epage=3;aulast=Nasri; https://doaj.org/toc/2277-9175 |
| DOI: |
10.4103/abr.abr_104_21 |
| Access URL: |
https://doaj.org/article/80ae3c8f203e4049bd0bf44b5b116910 |
| Accession Number: |
edsdoj.80ae3c8f203e4049bd0bf44b5b116910 |
| Database: |
Directory of Open Access Journals |
