Comparison of Different Treatment Strategies Combating COVID-19 in Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To compare different treatment strategies for patients of COVID-19 in Pakistan. Study Design: Retrospective longitudinal study. Place and Duration of Study: Abbas Medical Hospital, Muzaffarabad Pakistan, during Apr 2021. Methodology: One hundred and twenty, COVID-19-positive patients between 31-45 years of age were admitted to Abbas hospital after carrying out the rRT-PCR test. Group-A was administered Azithromycin, while Group-B was treated with Azithromycin in combination with Hydroxychloroquine. Group-C was given a combination of oral Ivermectin and Doxycycline, and Group-D was treated with Lopinavir. Diagnostic tests include rRT-PCR, blood parameters such as creatinine,random blood sugar, alanine aminotransferase, complete blood count, ECG, chest x-ray and blood biomarkers including procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase and ferritin were performed at Day 1, 5, 7, 14 and 30. Results: Patients treated with Azithromycin revealed the highest recovery of about (77.80%) among COVID-19 patients,followed by the combination of Azithromycin and Hydroxychloroquine which was (65.56%), the combination of Ivermectin and Doxycycline was (19.63%), and Lopinavir was (9.06%) displayed minimum potency in recovering the COVID-19 positive patients (p-value <0.001). Conclusions: Azithromycin was most effective in helping patients recover from COVID-19, followed by a combination of azithromycin and Hydroxychloroquine. Patients who recovered after treatment with Ivermectin Doxycycline were lower,followed by those who recovered with Lopinavir only.

Keywords

• Azithromycin
• Chloroquine
• COVID-19
• Doxycycline
• Ivermectin
• Lopinavir