ArticleNetherlands heart journal : monthly journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation2020
Chloroquine-induced QTc prolongation in COVID-19 patients.
Article in Netherlands heart journal : monthly journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 63 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
63 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 125 citations in OpenAlex.
- QTc prolongation in COVID-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, azithromycin, or lopinavir/ritonavir: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety · 2021Pooled it
- Incidence and treatment of arrhythmias secondary to coronavirus infection in humans: A systematic review.European journal of clinical investigation · 2021Pooled it
- A systematic review and meta-analysis on chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as monotherapy or combined with azithromycin in COVID-19 treatment.Scientific reports · 2020Pooled it
- Frequency of Long QT in Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection Treated with Hydroxychloroquine: A Meta-analysis.International journal of antimicrobial agents · 2020Pooled it
- Update I. A systematic review on the efficacy and safety of chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19.Journal of critical care · 2020Pooled it
- Assessment of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine Safety Profiles: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2020Pooled it
- A systematic review of ECG findings in patients with COVID-19.Indian heart journalPooled it
- Hydroxychloroquine-azithromycin, doubase C, and QTc prolongation in congolese patients with COVID-19: Myth or reality?World journal of virology · 2024Trial
- Exploring Anti-Inflammatory Treatment as Upstream Therapy in the Management of Atrial Fibrillation.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Antimicrobial and anti-viral effects of selenium nanoparticles and selenoprotein based strategies: COVID-19 and beyond.Journal of drug delivery science and technology · 2023Review
- Clinical and electrocardiographic outcomes evaluated by telemedicine of outpatients with clinical suspicion of COVID-19 treated with chloroquine compounds in BrazilFrontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2023Article
- Pharmacometric and Electrocardiographic Evaluation of Chloroquine and Azithromycin in Healthy Volunteers.Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics · 2022Article
- Electrocardiographic Abnormalities in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 and the Associations with Clinical Outcome.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Article
- ESC guidance for the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease during the COVID-19 pandemic: part 2-care pathways, treatment, and follow-up.Cardiovascular research · 2022Review
- Safety of Short-Term Treatments with Oral Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in Patients with and without COVID-19: A Systematic Review.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- ESC guidance for the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease during the COVID-19 pandemic: part 2-care pathways, treatment, and follow-up.European heart journal · 2022Review
- Can anti-parasitic drugs help control COVID-19?Future virology · 2022Review
- [Adverse reactions to drugs used for COVID-19 in five Latin American countriesReações adversas a medicamentos utilizados para a COVID-19 em cinco países da América Latina].Revista panamericana de salud publica = Pan American journal of public health · 2022Article
- Efficacy of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients: a meta-analysis.Future virology · 2021Review
- Management of COVID-19 in patients with seizures: Mechanisms of action of potential COVID-19 drug treatments and consideration for potential drug-drug interactions with anti-seizure medications.Epilepsy research · 2021Review
3 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn the battle against the SARS-CoV‑2 pandemic, chloroquine has emerged as a new potential therapeutic option for the treatment of infected patients. A safety consideration for the application of chloroquine is its QTc-prolonging potential. Thus far, no data are available on the QTc-prolonging potential of chloroquine in COVID-19 patients.
objectiveTo assess the degree of chloroquine-induced QTc prolongation in hospitalised COVID-19 patients.
methodsA baseline electrocardiogram (ECG) and ECGs recorded during chloroquine treatment were retrospectively collected in patients suspected of having COVID-19. The QTc interval was calculated by computerised and manual interpretation. Baseline and follow-up QTc intervals were compared using the paired samples t-test.
resultsA total of 95 patients had a baseline ECG recording and at least one ECG recording during chloroquine therapy. Chloroquine treatment resulted in a mean QTc prolongation of 35 ms (95% CI 28-43 ms) using computerised interpretation and 34 ms (95% CI 25-43 ms) using manual interpretation. No torsade de pointes was observed during chloroquine treatment. After manual review, 22 patients (23%) had a QTc interval exceeding 500 ms during chloroquine treatment. None of these patients had a prolonged QTc interval prior to the initiation of chloroquine treatment.
conclusionsChloroquine significantly prolongs the QTc interval in a clinically relevant matter. This highlights the need for ECG monitoring when prescribing chloroquine to COVID-19 patients.
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