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A human cell infected with the new coronavirus. – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases / AFP / Archives
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Hydroxychloroquine, used against malaria, has shown mixed results against coronavirus in initial studies, but a new expert article in New York suggests that combining it with the dietary supplement zinc sulfate could create a more effective treatment.
The research from New York University Grossman School of Medicine was published on a medical preprint website on Monday (11), meaning it has not yet been peer-reviewed.
The records of approximately 900 COVID-19 patients were reviewed in the analysis, and approximately half underwent zinc sulfate doses along with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin antibiotic. The other half received only hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.
Those who received the triple drug combination were 1.5 times more likely to recover sufficiently to be discharged and were 44% less likely to die compared to those exposed to the double drug combination.
However, the average time patients spent in the hospital (six days), the time they spent on the ventilator (five days), or the total amount of oxygen required did not change.
Lead researcher and infectious disease specialist Joseph Rahimian told AFP that it was the first study to compare these two combinations.
“The next logical step would be to do a prospective study to see if this is true for the people you’re applying zinc to, and then look and compare,” he said.
Hydroxychloroquine has been proposed as a treatment for the SARS-CoV-2 virus because it has antiviral properties demonstrated in the laboratory, but not in humans.
Specialist Joseph Rahimian told AFP that it was the first study to compare the two combinations.
