Ivermectin use associated with reduced duration of COVID-19 febrile
illness in a community setting
Abstract
AIMS: SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) is a potentially lethal disease
that may progress into severe respiratory distress syndrome requiring
ventilatory support. While azithromycin (AZI) and hydroxychloroquine
(HCQ) are considered similar to placebo in COVID-19, other drugs such as
ivermectin (IVER), are being repurposed to treat this pandemic. This
study was designed to assess the effects of ivermectin on duration of
febrile illness and disease outcomes in mild-to-moderate COVID-19
infection in a community setting. METHODS: In this case-control study 95
suspected patients of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 were included. The
controls (Group-A) received AZI+HCQ for seven days while the cases
(Group-B) received IVER+AZI+HCQ for six days. RESULTS: A total of 41
patients were in Group-B, while 54 patients were in Group-A. Group-B had
consistently and significantly shorter span of fever on days 5, 7, 10
and 14, where the logistic regression showed IVER as the major (Exp B
49•55; p<0•001) underlying factor. The Kaplan-Meier survival
analysis showed that Group-A had a prolonged febrile illness
(p<0•001). CONCLUSIONS: Ivermectin use is associated with
reduced duration of febrile illness in COVID-19 in outpatient setting,
thus potentially saving precious lives, reducing direct load on
healthcare facilities and preventing high cost of management in a
community setting.