RESUMO
Background: The association between the cycle threshold (Ct) which reflects the SARS-CoV-2 viral load and the severity of COVID-19 is still not clear. We investigated the association between Ct values, symptoms and the risk of ICU admission and mortality from COVID-19 in Qatar. Methods: This case-control study used data of hospitalized individuals with confirmed COVID-19 during the period March to September 2020. Cases were defined as individuals with confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) or died and controls as those who were not admitted to the ICU. The association between Ct value, symptoms, ICU admission and mortality was investigated using Ct value as a categorical variable (below and above 25) in multivariable regression models and adjusted for relevant confounders. Results: A total of 622 participants with median age 53 (IQR: 53-63), of which 69% were males, were included. There were 236 ICU admissions and 111 deaths. When categorized, Ct value (<25 vs ≥25) had no association with the odds of ICU admission (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.56 to 1.29) or odds of mortality (OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.71 to 2.08). Respiratory (OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.57 to 5.56) and gastrointestinal symptoms (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.18 to 3.35) were associated with higher odds of ICU admission. Similarly, respiratory (OR 4.96, 95% CI 1.10 to 22.43) and gastrointestinal symptoms (OR 3.17, 95% CI 1.29 to 7.84) were associated with higher odds of mortality. Conclusion: Although RT-PCR Ct has good diagnostic value, its prognostic value appears to be unreliable. Respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms are associated with COVID-19 criticality and mortality in this setting.
RESUMO
Background: Despite significant improvements in both treatment and prevention strategies, as well as multiple commissioned reviews, there remains uncertainty regarding the survival benefit of repurposed drugs such as colchicine in patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) clinical syndrome. Methods: In this umbrella review, we carried out a comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Science Citation Index, and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness between January 1, 2020 and January 31, 2023 for systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluating the mortality-reducing benefits of colchicine in patients with COVID-19. This was to ascertain the exact relationship between colchicine exposure and mortality outcomes in these cohorts of patients. We utilized A Measurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews-2 (AMSTAR-2) to conduct an exhaustive methodological quality and risk of bias assessment of the included reviews. Results: We included eighteen meta-analyses (n = 199,932 participants) in this umbrella review. Colchicine exposure was associated with an overall reduction of about 32% in the risk of mortality (odds ratio 0.68, confidence interval [CI] 0.58-0.78; I2 = 94%, p = 0.001). Further examination of pooled estimates of mortality outcomes by the quality effects model (corrected for the methodological quality and risk of bias of the constituent reviews) reported similar point estimates (OR 0.73; CI 0.59 to 0.91; I2 = 94%). Conclusion: In a pooled umbrella evaluation of published meta-analyses of COVID-19 patient cohorts, exposure to colchicine was associated with a reduction in overall mortality. Although it remains uncertain if this effect could potentially be attenuated or augmented by COVID-19 vaccination.
