Chloroquine Phosphate is not Proved to be an Effective Treatment for Coronavirus: A Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials

Chloroquine Phosphate is not Proved to be an Effective Treatment for Coronavirus: A Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials

Mohamed Farouk Allam 

Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University. 

The Open Microbiology Journal 2020, 14: 310-311

DOI: 10.2174/1874434602014010310

Abstract:

The aim of this meta-analysis is to investigate the effectiveness of chloroquine in treating coronavirus, in general not only novel coronavirus (COVID­-19), by pooling the results of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs). Only 28 publications were identified; none of which was a RCT. Identified studies were published between 1987 and March 15, 2020. Of these 28 publications, 7 were published in 2020 and discussed the effectiveness of chloroquine against COVID-19. Till March 15, 2020, the final results of the clinical trials currently conducted in China were not available; only the preliminary results reported promising effectiveness of chloroquine against COVID-19. The other 21 publications not related to COVID-19 were distributed as follow; in vitro experiments (11 publications), in vivo experiments (5 publications), both in vitro and in vitro experiments (1 publication), and reviews (4 publications). Only 2 in vitro experiments were about Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and 5 publications (2 in vitro experiments, 2 reviews, and 1 in vivo experiment) were about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). In conclusion, this meta-analysis could not prove that chloroquine is an effective treatment against coronavirus in general or COVID-19 in particular. Expanded access trials should be encouraged especially that chloroquine is available, cheap and relatively safe drug.

Keywords: Chloroquine, coronavirus, COVID-19, Meta-analysis, Systematic Review.

The Open Microbiology Journal 2020, 14: 310-311

https://benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/TOMICROJ/TOMICROJ-14-310.pdf 

Surgical versus Non-Surgical Management of Obstructive Sleep-disordered Breathing in Children: A Meta-analysis

Surgical versus Non-Surgical Management of Obstructive Sleep-disordered Breathing in Children: A Meta-analysis

Alaa Ahmed Abd El Hamid (1), Anas Mohamed Askoura (2), Diaa Marzouk Abdel Hamed (1), Mohamed Shehata Taha (2), Mohamed Farouk Allam (1)

1. Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt

2. Department of ENT, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt

 

The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal 2020;14:47-52. 

Electronic publication date: 23/10/2020

Publisher Item Identifier (PII): BMS-TORMJ-2020-10

 DOI: 10.2174/1874306402014010047

Abstract

Background: Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (OSDB) is a term for several chronic conditions in which partial or complete cessation of breathing occurs many times throughout the night, resulting in fatigue or daytime sleepiness that interferes with a person’s functions and reduces the quality of life.

Objective: Comparing the effectiveness of surgical versus non-surgical treatment of OSDB in children in clinical trials through a meta-analysis study.

Patients and Methods: A number of available studies and abstracts concerning the surgical versus non-surgical treatment of OSDB in children were identified through a comprehensive search of electronic databases. Data were abstracted from every study in the form of a risk estimate and its 95% confidence interval.

Results: The current study revealed that there was a statistically significant improvement in the surgically treated patients rather than non-surgically treated patients regarding the quality of life.

Conclusion: The current meta-analysis reports a significant clinical improvement in the surgical (adenotonsillectomy) group as compared to the non-surgical group, in terms of disease specific quality of life, and healthcare utilization in spite of the availability of only one study.

 

Keywords: OSDB, Children, Surgical, Meta-analysis, Systematic review, Quality of life.

The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal 2020;14:47-52.

https://benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/TORMJ/TORMJ-14-47.pdf

BCG Vaccine does not Protect Against COVID-19

Mohamed Farouk Allam, Ghada Essam El-Din Amin

Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt

The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal 2020;14:45-46.

Electronic publication date: 23/10/2020

Publisher Item Identifier (PII): BMS-TORMJ-2020-17

DOI: 10.2174/1874306402014010045 

Abstract

A recent article by Jop de Vrieze (March 23, 2020) suggested that BCG vaccine could protect against COVID-19 infections. The arguments were that several European countries, like Italy, Spain, France, and Germany, which are badly affected by COVID-19, and the USA stopped vaccination of the general population by BCG and excluded it from their routine vaccination schedule. Many people started to receive doses of BCG based on that hypothesis even before its confirmation. We think that the BCG vaccine could not protect against COVID-19 because several countries like China and Iran, which are severely affected by COVID-19, still include the BCG vaccine in its routine vaccination schedule. Other arguments include that the BCG vaccine improves cell-mediated immunity with little effect on humoral immunity; Immunity against viruses, in general, is mainly humoral.

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, BCG, Vaccine, Review, Immunity.

 

The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal 2020;14:45-46. 

https://benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/TORMJ/TORMJ-14-45.pdf

Vaccination Schedules and COVID-19 Risk

 

Mohamed Farouk Allam, Fady Andraous, Ghada Essam El-Din Amin

Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt

 

The Open Microbiology Journal 2020;14:278-280. 

Electronic publication date: 23/10/2020

Publisher Item Identifier (PII): BMS-TOMICROJ-2020-46

 

Abstract

A significant difference in the number of novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) cases and mortality has been noted among different World Health Organization (WHO) regions and countries. We compared the vaccination schedules for 2 countries from WHO Europe Region (Italy and Spain) and 2 countries from WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (Iran and Egypt). Both Iran and Egypt included the Sabin vaccine as part of the obligatory vaccination programs; meanwhile, Italy and Spain used the Salk vaccine. Recently, Iran and Egypt added a single dose of the Salk vaccine to the 6-7 doses of Sabin vaccine because of the new evidence showing that the use of the Salk vaccine in conjunction with Sabin vaccine achieves better mucosal immunity. Italy and Spain used an acellular vaccine against pertussis. Meanwhile, Iran and Egypt used a whole-cell vaccine. Taking into consideration the lower number of deaths in Iran and Egypt compared to Italy and Spain, we could hypothesize that the whole-cell pertussis vaccine could have a cross-immunity against COVID-19. Further research is warranted to identify the main reasons for the lower number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in certain countries in order to control COVID-19.

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pertussis, BCG, Measles, Vaccine, Review.

The Open Microbiology Journal 2020;14:278-280. 

https://benthamopen.com/contents/pdf/TOMICROJ/TOMICROJ-14-278.pdf

Need for Telehealth in the Era of Covid-19

Need for Telehealth in the Era of Covid-19

 

Sara Ahmed Esmat Shoman (1), Tamer Emara (2), Heba Gamal Saber (3) and Mohamed Farouk Allam (1)

 

1. Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt

2. Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt

3. Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt

 

Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research 20202;31(3):24303-24305.

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2020.31.005118

ABSTRACT

Telehealth means the usage of telecommunications and virtual technology in facilitating healthcare services in far areas. Telehealth is a multi- phasic system as it serves patients and healthcare workers (HCWs) by providing them with helpful tool for proper healthcare services and giving HCWs the chance to receive training sessions and conducting research. Telehealth proved to be practical in outbreaks and emergency settings as it provides platforms that are easy in usage and accessible for health, education, training, and others. Since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth services have been of great importance in diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and control of corona virus infection. Telehealth application during COVID-19 pandemic appears in screening and triaging the patients according to their symptoms through phone screening, online tools, mobile applications, and virtual visits to evaluate their conditions, and making the appropriate decisions. Also, telehealth is used in contacts tracing to determine whether they are infectious and need to be quarantined. The importance of telehealth extends to include following up of home isolated patients with mild and moderate symptoms to avoid overcrowding of healthcare facilities, in addition to delivering care by a diverse experienced team to provide and adjust treatment plan. Finally, telehealth sustains continuous care by keeping away from negative outcomes that could occur by delaying due to COVID-19.

 

Keywords: Telehealth; Healthcare Services; Virtual care; COVID-19; Remote treatment; Pandemic

 

Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research 20202;31(3):24303-24305.

https://biomedres.us/pdfs/BJSTR.MS.ID.005118.pdf