Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33879694›Full record

SynthesisMedicine2021

The therapeutic effect and safety of the drugs for COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Rong Qiu, Jingwei Li, Yuxuan Xiao, Ziyi Gao, Yihang Weng, Qiran Zhang, Chengdi Wang, Hanlin Gong, Weimin Li

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 40% of its field
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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
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

9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Rong QiuDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Jingwei LiDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Yuxuan XiaoWest China School/Hospital of Stomatology.
Ziyi GaoWest China Medical School/West China Hospital.
Yihang WengWest China School/Hospital of Stomatology.
Qiran ZhangWest China Medical School/West China Hospital.
Chengdi WangDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Hanlin GongDepartment of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Weimin LiDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
West China Medical Center of Sichuan University · CNStomatology Hospital · CNSichuan University · CN

Funding

CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Science 2019TX310002Grant of Innovative Research Project for College Students, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education C2021116604National Guided Science and Technology Development Project of Sichuan Province 2020ZYD009Postdoctoral Program of West China Hospital, Sichuan University 2020HXBH084the Science and Technology Project of Chengdu 2017-CY02-00030-GX
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread almost all regions of the world and caused great loss to the whole body of mankind. Thus, numerous clinical trials were conducted to find specific medicine for COVID-19 recently. However, it remains unanswered whether they are beneficial.

objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the efficiency and safety of the COVID-19 medicine.

methodsStudies were determined through searching PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Medline. The studies of COVID-19 medicine were involved with eligible end points containing mortality, discharge rate, rate of clinical improvement, and rate of serious adverse events.

resultsA total of 33 studies involving 37,879 patients were included in our study, whose intervening measures contained three major types of COVID-19 medicine, ACEI/ARB, antiviral medicine, and chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine. Compared to control group, COVID-19 drugs have no distinct effect on mortality (RR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.79-1.11, P = .43) and discharge rate (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.98-1.14, P = .13). However, antiviral medicine presents the obvious advantage in clinical improvement (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.01-1.23, P < .05). In addition, the serious adverse events rate (RR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.63-0.88, P < .05) of COVID-19 medicine is lower than control group.

conclusionThe results indicated antiviral medicine was potential specific medicine for COVID-19 treatment by improving clinical symptoms, but it failed to increase the discharge rate and reduce mortality. Chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine and ACEI/ARB had no significant effect on treatment of COVID-19, thus they were not recommended for routine medication. Moreover, more trials are needed to find effective drugs to lower the mortality of COVID-19 patients.

Indexed as

COVID-19 Drug TreatmentAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme InhibitorsAngiotensin Receptor AntagonistsAntiviral AgentsChloroquineCOVID-19HumansHydroxychloroquineSARS-CoV-2Treatment OutcomeAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme InhibitorsAngiotensin Receptor AntagonistsAntiviral AgentsChloroquineHydroxychloroquine

Identifiers

PMID33879694
PMCPMC8078467
OpenAlexW3136560158

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

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.