Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39804238›Full record

SynthesisThe Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy2025

Efficacy and safety of antiviral therapies for the treatment of persistent COVID-19 in immunocompromised patients since the Omicron surge: a systematic review.

Caroline Hirsch, Nina Kreuzberger, Nicole Skoetz, Ina Monsef, Stefan Kluge, Christoph D Spinner, Jakob J Malin

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Persistent COVID-19 Pneumonia in a Patient on Rituximab.Journal of investigative medicine high impact case reports
    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

7 authors.

Caroline HirschInstitute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50939 Cologne, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2011-1010
Nina KreuzbergerInstitute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50939 Cologne, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8922-0488
Nicole SkoetzInstitute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50939 Cologne, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-4744-6192
Ina MonsefInstitute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50939 Cologne, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7794-9383
Stefan KlugeDepartment of Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinstr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8391-3988
Christoph D SpinnerDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Clinical Department for Internal Medicine II, TUM School of Medicine and Health, University Medical Center, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-3875-5367
Jakob J MalinDivision of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department I of Internal Medicine, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50939 Cologne, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2989-0436

Funding

Innovation Fund of the German Joint Federal Committee 01VSF23002
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPersistent COVID-19 (pCOVID-19) in immunocompromised patients is characterized by unspecific symptoms and pulmonary infiltrates due to ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication. Treatment options remain unclear, leading to different approaches, including combination therapy and extended durations. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of antiviral therapies for pCOVID-19 in immunocompromised patients since the Omicron surge.

methodsWe searched MEDLINE and Scopus from 1 January 2022 to 6 August 2024 for cohort studies and case series on nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, remdesivir, ensitrelvir and molnupiravir. Evidence certainty was rated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation for outcomes including viral clearance, recurrence/relapse, mortality, adverse events (AEs) and symptom resolution.

resultsThirteen studies involving 127 cases were included. Evidence certainty was very low. In combination therapy with at least two direct antiviral agents, viral clearance was 79%, with a 16% recurrence rate. All-cause mortality was 9%, and mortality was 6% while SARS-CoV-2 positive. In 47 cases, AEs were reported in 11%. Symptom resolution ranged from 3 to 6 days in two studies. In combination therapy with one direct antiviral agent and passive immunization, viral clearance was 89%, with an 11% recurrence rate and no deaths. In four documented cases, no AEs were observed. In monotherapy, viral clearance was 100%, with a 15% recurrence rate. One death, unrelated to SARS-CoV-2, occurred. In 12 documented cases, no AEs were observed.

conclusionsBased on very low certainty evidence, combining one direct antiviral with passive immunization resulted in high rates of viral clearance and few recurrences. AEs occurred in cases treated with at least two direct antivirals. Controlled studies are needed.

Indexed as

Antiviral AgentsCOVID-19COVID-19 Drug TreatmentImmunocompromised HostAdenosine MonophosphateAlanineDrug Therapy, CombinationHumansImmunization, PassiveSARS-CoV-2Treatment OutcomeAdenosine MonophosphateAlanineAntiviral Agentsremdesivir

Identifiers

PMID39804238
PMCPMC11879234

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.