Open AccessRole of Favipiravir on the Hematologic parameters in patients with COVID-19 infection
Author(s) -
Hasan Mücahit Özbaş,
Temel Kayan,
Mustafa Yakarışık,
Ahmet Cumhur Dülger,
Muhammed Ali Ayvaz,
Mesut Aydın
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
medical science and discovery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2148-6832
DOI - 10.36472/msd.v8i10.602
Subject(s) - medicine , favipiravir , erythrocyte sedimentation rate , gastroenterology , procalcitonin , absolute neutrophil count , fibrinogen , covid-19 , disease , sepsis , toxicity , infectious disease (medical specialty) , neutropenia
Objective: Favipiravir is a novel, orally bioavailable, purine nucleoside analogue drug. Recent studies showed that it was related to faster viral clearance time and a significant improvement rate in chest imaging in patients with COVID-19. While the mechanism of action of Favipiravir is well characterized, there is insufficient data about its effects on haematological inflammatory parameters during COVID 19 infection.
Material and Methods: This observational study included 92 patients with COVID-19 (50 of them were female) with mild to moderate disease who taken Favipiravir in the Pandemic Center at Giresun University School of Medicine from April 2020 to October 2020. Patients with severe COVID-19 infection were excluded from the study.
Results: After the five days of Favipiravir administration, compared to before the treatment, it was observed that the neutrophil counts of the patients (before the treatment mean 5.97 109/L (5.1 - 6.84) and after treatment 4.82 109/L (4.29 - 5.35) p=0,039) and Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) markedly decreased (before the treatment mean 6.88 (5.33 - 8.42) and after treatment 4.67 (3.23 - 6.10) p=0,002), while the lymphocyte count increased and these alternations were statistically significant. Platelet count and MCV levels were slightly increased after the treatment also statistically significant (p<0.001, p=0.001). Although there was a significant decrease in CRP levels, no significant change was observed in other inflammatory markers (Ferritin, Sedimentation, Fibrinogen, D-Dimer, and Troponin). The overall mortality rate was 4%, with no deaths in ICU.
Conclusion: In our study; in addition to previous knowledge from recent studies; increasing in the platelet count and decreasing in CRP and MPV levels are remarkable findings. These data may guide in the follow-up of Favipiravir treatment and in determining the prognosis.