Comparing the efficacy of meglumine acridon acetate and pentanedioic acid imidazolyl ethanamide in the outpatient treatment for ARVI during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study compared the efficacy of different therapies for ARVI during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective. To compare clinical efficacy of Cycloferon and Ingavirin in children aged 4–17 years treated in outpatient facilities during the epidemic season of СOVID-19. Patients and methods. This study included 101 patients who provided 143 oro- and nasopharyngeal swabs tested using certified PCR tests. Of them, 128 samples (89.5%) were positive, whereas 15 samples (10.5%) were negative. We identified the most common viruses circulating in January–May 2021, including (seasonal) coronaviruses (35.9%), rhinoviruses (20.3%), and other viruses. We also analyzed respiratory viruses that have circulated in Moscow during the last 6 years and found higher levels of seasonal coronaviruses. The most common ARVI symptoms in 2021 were fever, rhinitis, pharyngeal hyperemia, and fatigue. Fewer children had headache, cough, and enlarged lymph nodes. Results. We compared ARVI treatment with broad-spectrum antivirals in children aged between 4 and 17 years. Children in group 1 (n = 51) received Cycloferon®, while children in Group (n = 50) received Ingavirin®. Study participants were diagnosed with ARVI and moderate nasopharyngitis. Children from the Cycloferon group demonstrated a more significant dynamics of such clinical symptoms as headache (p < 0.05), cough (p < 0.01), rhinitis (p < 0.01), abundant mucus (p < 0.001), and enlarged lymph nodes (p < 0.001) than children from the Ingavirin group (there was a significant difference in the duration of these symptoms). Only 2 children from group 1 required antibiotics (3.4%), whereas in group 2, 11 children needed antibacterial therapy (22%). Key words: children, acute respiratory viral diseases (ARVI), COVID-19, PCR diagnostics, clinical manifestations, Cycloferon, Ingavirin