Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33378989›Full record

Trial reportBiomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie2021

Tocilizumab combined with favipiravir in the treatment of COVID-19: A multicenter trial in a small sample size.

Hong Zhao, Qi Zhu, Chi Zhang, Jiawen Li, Ming Wei, Yuhong Qin, Guilin Chen, Ke Wang, Junhua Yu, Zhao Wu and 2 more

Abstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 54 papers, 18 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
54citing papers in PubMed, 18 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

54 citing papers in PubMed, 18 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  2. Favipiravir for treating COVID-19.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024
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  5. Antiviral drug treatment for nonsevere COVID-19: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2022
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  6. The efficacy and adverse effects of favipiravir on patients with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published clinical trials and observational studies.International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases · 2022
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Hong ZhaoDepartment of Infectious Disease, Center for Liver Disease, Peking University First Hospital, No. 8 Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, China; Peking University International Hospital, Beijing, China.
Qi ZhuDepartment of Tuberculosis, Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital, Wuhan, 430030, China.
Chi ZhangDepartment of Infectious Disease, Center for Liver Disease, Peking University First Hospital, No. 8 Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, China.
Jiawen LiDepartment of Infectious Disease, Center for Liver Disease, Peking University First Hospital, No. 8 Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, China.
Ming WeiWuhan Jinyintan Hospital, No. 1 Yintan Road, Dongxihu District, Wuhan, 430040, China.
Yuhong QinEmergency Department of Peking University International Hospital, Life-Science Park, Changping District, Beijing, 102206, China.
Guilin ChenDepartment of Tuberculosis, Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital, Wuhan, 430030, China.
Ke WangWuhan Jinyintan Hospital, No. 1 Yintan Road, Dongxihu District, Wuhan, 430040, China.
Junhua YuEzhou Central Hospital, 9 Wenxing Road, Ezhou City, Hubei Province, 463000, China.
Zhao WuDepartment of Infectious Disease, Center for Liver Disease, Peking University First Hospital, No. 8 Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, China.
Xianxiang ChenSurgical Department, Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital, No. 28 Baofeng Road, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: 2272534937@qq.com.
Guiqiang WangDepartment of Infectious Disease, Center for Liver Disease, Peking University First Hospital, No. 8 Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, China; Peking University International Hospital, Beijing, China. Electronic address: john131212@126.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSince December 2019, COVID-19 has spread to almost every corner of the world. In theory, tocilizumab and favipiravir are considered to be reliable drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 with elevated IL-6. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab combined with favipiravir in patients with COVID-19.

methodsThis was a multicenter trial in adults with COVID-19. Patients were randomly assigned (3:1:1) to a 14-day combination of favipiravir combined with tocilizumab (combination group), favipiravir, and tocilizumab. The primary outcome was the cumulative lung lesion remission rate (lung CT examination indicated absorption of lung inflammation).

resultsBetween Feb 2 and March 15, 2020, 26 patients were recruited; 14 were randomly assigned to the combination group, 7 were assigned to the favipiravir group and 5 were assigned to the tocilizumab group. The cumulative lung lesion remission rate at day 14 was significantly higher in combination group as compared with favipiravir group (P = 0.019, HR 2.66 95 % CI [1.08-6.53]). And there was also a significant difference between tocilizumab and favipivavir (P = 0.034, HR 3.16, 95 % CI 0.62-16.10). In addition, there was no significant difference between the combination group and the tocilizumab group (P = 0.575, HR 1.28 95 %CI 0.39-4.23). Furthermore, combined therapy can also significantly relieve clinical symptoms and help blood routine to return to normal. No serious adverse events were reported.

conclusionTocilizumab combined with or without favipiravir can effectively improve the pulmonary inflammation of COVID-19 patients and inhibit the deterioration of the disease.

Indexed as

COVID-19 Drug TreatmentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAmidesAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedAntiviral AgentsCOVID-19Drug Therapy, CombinationFemaleHumansInterleukin-6Kaplan-Meier EstimateLungMaleMiddle AgedAmidesAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedAntiviral AgentsfavipiravirIL6 protein, humanInterleukin-6PyrazinesReceptors, Interleukin-6tocilizumabCOVID-19FavipiravirInterleukin-6SARS-CoV-2Tocilizumab

Identifiers

PMID33378989
PMCPMC7524677

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.