Article,
The effect of ivermectin on the viral load and culture viability in early treatment of non-hospitalized patients with mild COVID-19 – A double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, (2022)
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.07.003
Abstract
<h2>Abstract</h2><h3>Objectives</h3><p>Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic agent, also has anti-viral properties. Our aim was to assess whether ivermectin has anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>The double-blinded trial compared patients receiving ivermectin for three days vs. placebo in non-hospitalized adult COVID-19 patients. RT-PCR from a nasopharyngeal-swab was obtained at recruitment and then every two days for at least 6 days. Primary endpoint was reduction of viral-load on the sixth-day as reflected by Ct level>30 (non-infectious level). The primary outcome was supported by determination of viral-culture viability.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Out of 867 patients screened, ultimately 89 were per-protocol evaluable (47 ivermectin and 42 placebo). On day 6, OR was 2.62 (95% CI: 1.09-6.31) in ivermectin arm reaching the endpoint. In a multivariable logistic regression model, the odds of a negative-test at day six was 2.28 time higher in the ivermectin group but reach significance only on day 8 (OR 3.70; 95% CI: 1.19-11.49, p=0.02). Culture-viability at days two to six were positive in 13.0% (3/23) of ivermectin samples vs. 48.2% (14/29) in the placebo group (p=0.008).</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>There were lower viral-loads and less viable-cultures in the ivermectin group, which shows its anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. It could lead to reduce transmission in these patients and encourage further studies with this drug.</p><p><b>The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT 04429711</b>.</p>
