Clinical Improvement, Outcomes, Antiviral Activity, and Costs Associated With Early Treatment With Remdesivir for Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Abstract
Background: Evidence remains inconclusive on any significant benefits of remdesivir in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. This study explored the disease progression, various clinical outcomes, changes in viral load, and costs associated with early remdesivir treatment among COVID-19 patients.
Methods: A territory-wide retrospective cohort of 10 419 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized from 21 January 2020 to 31 January 2021 in Hong Kong was identified. Early remdesivir users were matched with controls using propensity-score matching in a ratio ≤1:4. Study outcomes were time to clinical improvement of at least 1 point on WHO clinical progression scale, hospital discharge, recovery, viral clearance, low viral load, positive IgG antibody, in-hospital death, and composite outcomes of in-hospital death requiring invasive ventilation or intensive care.
Results: After multiple imputation and propensity-score matching, median follow-up was 14 days for both remdesivir (n = 352) and control (n = 1347) groups. Time to clinical improvement was significantly shorter in the remdesivir group than that of control (HR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.01–1.29; P = .038), as well as for achieving low viral load (1.51; 1.24–1.83; P < .001) and positive IgG antibody (1.50; 1.31–1.70; P < .001). Early remdesivir treatment was associated with lower risk of in-hospital death (HR: .58; 95% CI: .34–.99; P = .045), in addition to a significantly shorter length of hospital stay (difference: −2.56 days; 95% CI: −4.86 to −.26; P = .029), without increasing risks of composite outcomes for clinical deterioration.
Conclusions: Early remdesivir treatment could be extended to hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19 not requiring oxygen therapy on admission.
Citation
Wong, C. K. H., Lau, K. T. K., Au, I. C. H., Xiong, X., Lau, E. H. Y., & Cowling, B. J. (2021, July 15). Clinical Improvement, Outcomes, Antiviral Activity, and Costs Associated With Early Treatment With Remdesivir for Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Clinical Infectious Diseases. Oxford University Press (OUP). http://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciab631
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2021-07-15
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