Hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 among healthcare workers: Initial experience from India
Background: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) had generated considerable interest for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prophylaxis. We conducted a prospective observational study at a tertiary care hospital in India, with dedicated COVID-19 care facilities. Objectives: Primary objective was incidence of a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2022;volume=11;issue=3;spage=1140;epage=1145;aulast=Kadnur |
| _version_ | 1811343179965792256 |
|---|---|
| author | Harshith B Kadnur Anivita Aggarwal Manish Soneja Komal Singh Ankit Mittal Neeraj Nischal Praveen Tirlangi Adil Rashid Khan Devashish Desai Ankesh Gupta Arvind Kumar Pankaj Jorwal Ashutosh Biswas Ravindra Mohan Pandey Naveet Wig Randeep Guleria |
| author_facet | Harshith B Kadnur Anivita Aggarwal Manish Soneja Komal Singh Ankit Mittal Neeraj Nischal Praveen Tirlangi Adil Rashid Khan Devashish Desai Ankesh Gupta Arvind Kumar Pankaj Jorwal Ashutosh Biswas Ravindra Mohan Pandey Naveet Wig Randeep Guleria |
| author_sort | Harshith B Kadnur |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) had generated considerable interest for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prophylaxis. We conducted a prospective observational study at a tertiary care hospital in India, with dedicated COVID-19 care facilities. Objectives: Primary objective was incidence of adverse effects, secondary objective being efficacy in preventing COVID-19. Methods: Healthcare workers were recruited and grouped based on voluntary HCQ prophylaxis as per national guidelines. Side effects in HCQ group were graded in accordance with national cancer institute-common terminology criteria for adverse events (NCI-CTCAE) version 5.0. At 3–7-week follow-up, groups were compared for COVID-19 exposure, symptoms development and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RT-PCR results. Results: Among 358 participants recruited, 216 (60.3%) were males and mean age was 31.2 ± 6.6 years. Chemoprophylaxis was initiated by 258 (72%) participants. After loading dose, 7 (2.7%) reported grade 2 and 1 (0.4%) grade 3 adverse effects. Discontinuation of HCQ due to side effects was reported in 11 (4.3%) participants. Electrocardiogram was done by 50 (19.4%) participants on HCQ; no abnormalities were noted. A total of 106 (41%) among those taking and 63 (63%) among those not taking HCQ were tested for SARS-CoV-2 due to influenza-like illness or significant exposure. Among all participants, 25 (6.9%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.3–9.6) developed COVID-19 during the study period. In the group taking HCQ, 10 (3.9%) tested positive compared to 15 (15%) in the group not taking HCQ (P < 0.001). Odds ratio with HCQ intake was 0.34 (95% CI 0.13–0.83, P = 0.01) and the number needed to treat was 12. Conclusion: HCQ is safe at the recommended dose for pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:25:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f79a32137a44434a9f848e6654b6b80d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2249-4863 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:25:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-f79a32137a44434a9f848e6654b6b80d2022-12-22T02:33:24ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632022-01-011131140114510.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1177_21Hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 among healthcare workers: Initial experience from IndiaHarshith B KadnurAnivita AggarwalManish SonejaKomal SinghAnkit MittalNeeraj NischalPraveen TirlangiAdil Rashid KhanDevashish DesaiAnkesh GuptaArvind KumarPankaj JorwalAshutosh BiswasRavindra Mohan PandeyNaveet WigRandeep GuleriaBackground: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) had generated considerable interest for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prophylaxis. We conducted a prospective observational study at a tertiary care hospital in India, with dedicated COVID-19 care facilities. Objectives: Primary objective was incidence of adverse effects, secondary objective being efficacy in preventing COVID-19. Methods: Healthcare workers were recruited and grouped based on voluntary HCQ prophylaxis as per national guidelines. Side effects in HCQ group were graded in accordance with national cancer institute-common terminology criteria for adverse events (NCI-CTCAE) version 5.0. At 3–7-week follow-up, groups were compared for COVID-19 exposure, symptoms development and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RT-PCR results. Results: Among 358 participants recruited, 216 (60.3%) were males and mean age was 31.2 ± 6.6 years. Chemoprophylaxis was initiated by 258 (72%) participants. After loading dose, 7 (2.7%) reported grade 2 and 1 (0.4%) grade 3 adverse effects. Discontinuation of HCQ due to side effects was reported in 11 (4.3%) participants. Electrocardiogram was done by 50 (19.4%) participants on HCQ; no abnormalities were noted. A total of 106 (41%) among those taking and 63 (63%) among those not taking HCQ were tested for SARS-CoV-2 due to influenza-like illness or significant exposure. Among all participants, 25 (6.9%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.3–9.6) developed COVID-19 during the study period. In the group taking HCQ, 10 (3.9%) tested positive compared to 15 (15%) in the group not taking HCQ (P < 0.001). Odds ratio with HCQ intake was 0.34 (95% CI 0.13–0.83, P = 0.01) and the number needed to treat was 12. Conclusion: HCQ is safe at the recommended dose for pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19.http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2022;volume=11;issue=3;spage=1140;epage=1145;aulast=Kadnurcovid-19healthcare workershydroxychloroquinepre-exposure prophylaxissars-cov-2 |
| spellingShingle | Harshith B Kadnur Anivita Aggarwal Manish Soneja Komal Singh Ankit Mittal Neeraj Nischal Praveen Tirlangi Adil Rashid Khan Devashish Desai Ankesh Gupta Arvind Kumar Pankaj Jorwal Ashutosh Biswas Ravindra Mohan Pandey Naveet Wig Randeep Guleria Hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 among healthcare workers: Initial experience from India Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care covid-19 healthcare workers hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure prophylaxis sars-cov-2 |
| title | Hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 among healthcare workers: Initial experience from India |
| title_full | Hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 among healthcare workers: Initial experience from India |
| title_fullStr | Hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 among healthcare workers: Initial experience from India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 among healthcare workers: Initial experience from India |
| title_short | Hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 among healthcare workers: Initial experience from India |
| title_sort | hydroxychloroquine pre exposure prophylaxis for covid 19 among healthcare workers initial experience from india |
| topic | covid-19 healthcare workers hydroxychloroquine pre-exposure prophylaxis sars-cov-2 |
| url | http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2022;volume=11;issue=3;spage=1140;epage=1145;aulast=Kadnur |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT harshithbkadnur hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT anivitaaggarwal hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT manishsoneja hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT komalsingh hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT ankitmittal hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT neerajnischal hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT praveentirlangi hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT adilrashidkhan hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT devashishdesai hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT ankeshgupta hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT arvindkumar hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT pankajjorwal hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT ashutoshbiswas hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT ravindramohanpandey hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT naveetwig hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia AT randeepguleria hydroxychloroquinepreexposureprophylaxisforcovid19amonghealthcareworkersinitialexperiencefromindia |