Open AccessPotential specific therapies in COVID-19
Author(s) -
Muhammad Gul,
Zin Mar Htun,
Nauman Shaukat,
Muhammad Imran,
Ahmad Khan
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
therapeutic advances in respiratory disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.022
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1753-4666
pISSN - 1753-4658
DOI - 10.1177/1753466620926853
Subject(s) - medicine , tocilizumab , hydroxychloroquine , middle east respiratory syndrome , intensive care medicine , lopinavir , ritonavir , randomized controlled trial , pneumonia , pandemic , covid-19 , coronavirus , middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus , azithromycin , chloroquine , virology , immunology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , rheumatoid arthritis , viral load , malaria , disease , antiretroviral therapy , infectious disease (medical specialty) , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , antibiotics
COVID-19 has grown into a global pandemic that has strained healthcare throughout the world. There is a sense of urgency in finding a cure for this deadly virus. In this study, we reviewed the empiric options used in common practice for COVID-19, based on the literature available online, with an emphasis on human experiences with these treatments on severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-COV-1) and other viruses. Convalescent blood products are the most promising potential treatment for use in COVID-19. The use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), remdesivir, and tocilizumab are some of the other promising potential therapies; however, they are yet to be tested in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The use of lopinavir-ritonavir did not prove beneficial in a large RCT. The use of corticosteroids should be avoided in COVID-19 pneumonia unless used for other indications, based on the suggestion of harm in patients with SARS-COV-1 and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) infection. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.