Comparison of Favipiravir to Hydroxychloroquine Plus Azithromycin in the Treatment of Patients with Non-critical COVID-19: A Single-center, Retrospective, Propensity Score-matched Study

Abstract

Objectives: In this study, we compared the clinical outcomes and effects of the treatments on laboratory parameters between patients who were treated with favipiravir (FAV) or hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin (HCQ/AZ) for COVID-19 pneumonia in non-Intensive Care Unit (non-ICU) patients. Methods: We collected data of 260 moderate or severe COVID-19 patients hospitalized in COVID-19 wards between March 20, 2020, and September 30, 2020 retrospectively. We used propensity score matching to evaluate treatment effect on laboratory parameters of COVID-19 infection. Results: We compared 42 patients using FAV and 42 HCQ/AZ after propensity score matching. While there were statistical differences between the therapy groups in terms of transfer to ICU and/or exitus before matching (p=0.031), this was not significant after propensity analysis (p=0.250). Patients treated with FAV stayed in the hospital nearly one more day than HCQ/AZ group but the difference was not statistically significant (9.02 days vs 8.14 days, p=0.903). The levels of AST,ALT, and LDH increased at discharge in both groups, especially in the FAV group. Conclusions: FAV is not superior to HCQ/AZ in the treatment of COVID-19 infection in hospitalized patients with pneumonia.