Ivermectin use associated with reduced duration of COVID-19 febrile illness in a community setting

AIMS: SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) is a potentially lethal disease that may progress into severe respiratory distress syndrome requiring ventilatory support. While azithromycin (AZI) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) are considered similar to placebo in COVID-19, other drugs such as ivermectin (IVER), are being repurposed to treat this pandemic. This study was designed to assess the effects of ivermectin on duration of febrile illness and disease outcomes in mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infection in a community setting. METHODS: In this case-control study 95 suspected patients of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 were included. The controls (Group-A) received AZI+HCQ for seven days while the cases (Group-B) received IVER+AZI+HCQ for six days. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients were in Group-B, while 54 patients were in Group-A. Group-B had consistently and significantly shorter span of fever on days 5, 7, 10 and 14, where the logistic regression showed IVER as the major (Exp B 49•55; p<0•001) underlying factor. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that Group-A had a prolonged febrile illness (p<0•001). CONCLUSIONS: Ivermectin use is associated with reduced duration of febrile illness in COVID-19 in outpatient setting, thus potentially saving precious lives, reducing direct load on healthcare facilities and preventing high cost of management in a community setting.