Ivermectin efficacy ‘ambiguous’, more evidence needed, says new review

 

Ongoing studies are expected to shed more light on the efficacy of Ivermectin, say authors in a new review. (Reuters pic)

PETALING JAYA: A latest systematic review on the use of Ivermectin for preventing and treating Covid-19 showed that the result was still ambiguous and results from ongoing studies were expected to shed more light.

The authors of the review published on Wednesday said that from the 14 studies reviewed, they could not ascertain whether Ivermectin was efficacious and safe for treating or preventing Covid‐19.

“The completed studies are small and few are considered high quality. Several studies are under way that may produce clearer answers in review updates.

“Overall, the reliable evidence available does not support the use of Ivermectin for treatment or prevention of Covid‐19 outside of well‐designed randomised trials,” said the review by Maria Popp and others.

The studies, involving 1,678 participants, assessed the efficacy and safety of Ivermectin compared to no treatment, standard of care, placebo, or any other proven intervention for people with Covid‐19 receiving treatment as inpatients or outpatients.

It also assessed Ivermectin for prevention of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection.

There are still 31 ongoing studies and the authors said the review will provide more updates once they become available.

Ivermectin was found to inhibit the replication of viruses in vitro and it had been hypothesised that it could inhibit the SARS‐CoV‐2 replication in the early stages of infection.

On treating people in hospital with Covid-19, the authors said they could not determine whether Ivermectin compared with placebo or usual care 28 days after treatment leads to more or fewer deaths, worsens or improves patients’ condition assessed by need for oxygen, and increases or reduces unwanted events.

They also could not ascertain if after seven days of treatment, Ivermectin increases or reduces negative Covid‐19 tests.

“Ivermectin compared to placebo or usual care may make little or no difference to improving patients’ condition 28 days after treatment or to length of hospital stay,” said the review.

On treating outpatients with Covid‐19, it was not known if it leads to more or fewer deaths 28 days after treatment, worsens or improves patients’ condition 14 days after treatment assessed by need for ventilation, increases or reduces negative Covid‐19 tests seven days after treatment, it said.

“Ivermectin compared to placebo or usual care may make little or no difference to improving outpatients’ condition 14 days after treatment or to the number of unwanted events 28 days after treatment,” it said.

It said that there were no studies looking at hospital admissions in outpatients.

On preventing Covid‐19, it was not known if Ivermectin leads to more or fewer deaths compared with no drug, it said, adding that no participant had died 28 days after the drug use.

“No evidence was found to support the use of Ivermectin for treating or preventing Covid‐19 infection, but the evidence base was limited,” it said. - FMT