Ongoing Living Update of Potential COVID-19 Therapeutics: summary of rapid systematic reviews. Rapid Review, 23 May 2020

ABSTRACT

This document includes the results of a rapid systematic review of currently available literature. The information included in this review reflects the evidence as of the date posted in the document. Yet, recognizing that there are numerous ongoing clinical studies, PAHO will periodically update these reviews and corresponding recommendations as new evidence becomes available. The drugs currently under review are meplazumab, ivermectin, siltuximab, danoprevir, tocilizumab (IL-6), favipiravir, darunavir, nelfinavir, remdesivir, interferon-alpha, chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, convalescent plasma, heparin, corticosteroids, IVIG, sarilumab, umifenovir (arbidol), lopinavir/ritonavir, and α-Lipoic acid. The focus was any type of comparative effectiveness research (ideally RCTs studies) for all of the included therapeutic pharmacological interventions (adults and children) and this review was open to any study that could be informative, including case-series and observational designs. Adults and children exposed to or with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 were and will be included. Trials that compare interventions head-to-head or against no intervention or placebo are the focus. We have focused on comparative effectiveness studies that provide evidence on patient-important outcomes, but were open to all reported outcomes at this time. No electronic database search restrictions were imposed. If meta-analytical pooling was and is possible from retrieved evidence, this review would seek to do this to derive more precise estimates of effect and derive additional statistical power.