Findings from a large observational study comprising of 96032 patients with COVID-19 suggest that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine used alone or with macrolides proved to be ineffective and moreover associated with decreased survival and increased frequency of arrhythmias when used in treatment. The findings of the study were published in The Lancet on May 22.

The study enrolled close to 100,000 patients in 671 hospitals across 6 continents compared treatment outcome between those treated with hydroxychloroquine alone (3016 patients), those treated with chloroquine alone (1868 patients) and those treated using a combination of hydroxychloroquine with a second-generation macrolide such as azithromycin/calrithromycin (6221 patients) and those treated with chloroquine and a second-generation macrolide (3783 patients).

The study found no benefit of either drug or drug combination nor any improvement in patient outcome when used immediately after COVID-19 diagnosis. Each of the regimens were associated with occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias and increased risk of death from COVID-19.

To read the original study, click here.