Moteb Khobrani, PharmD, BCPS
Pharmacy
King khalid University, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Abdullah Assiri, PharmD, PhD
Pharmacy
King khalid University, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Jawaher Gramish, PharmD, BCPS
Pharmacy
The Saudi Arabian National Guard Health Affairs, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Abdullah alawdah, MD
Medicine
Saudi German Hospital, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Title: Evaluation of Currently Used Medications for COVID-19 Management
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic remains an immediate and present concern, yet as of now there is still ongoing controversial discussions about the available therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19. The aim of this study was to investigate and report evidence concerning demographic characteristics and currently used medications that contribute to the ultimate outcomes of COVID-19 ICU patients.
Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among all COVID-19 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Asir Central Hospital in Saudi Arabia between the 1st and 30th of June 2020. Data extracted from patients’ medical records included their demographics, home medications, medications used to treat COVID-19, treatment durations, ICU stay, hospital stay, and ultimate outcome (recovery or death). Descriptive statistics and regression modelling were used to analyze and compare the results. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committees at both Asir Central Hospital and King Khalid University.
Results: A total of 118 patients with median age of 57 years having definite clinical and disease outcomes were included in the study. Male patients accounted for 87% of the study population, and more than 65% experienced at least one comorbidity. The mean hospital and ICU stay was 11.4 and 9.8 days, respectively. The most common drugs used were tocilizumab (31.4%), triple combination therapy (45.8%), favipiravir (56.8%), dexamethasone (86.7%), and enoxaparin (83%). Treatment with enoxaparin significantly reduced the length of ICU stay (p = 0.04) and was found to be associated with mortality reduction in patients aged 50-75 (p = 0.03), whereas the triple regimen therapy significantly increased the length of ICU stay in all patients (p = 0.01).
Conclusion: Our study showed that the use of tocilizumab, enoxaparin, favipiravir, and dexamethasone reduced the ICU length of stay, while the use of triple combination therapy in COVID-19 was associated with increased length of ICU stay in all patients.