Role of ivermectin in the prevention of COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers in India: A matched case-control study

Abstract

Background: Ivermectin is one among several potential drugs explored for its therapeutic and preventive role in COVID-19 infection. The study was aimed to explore the association between ivermectin prophylaxis and development of COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers. Methods: A hospital-based matched case-control study was conducted among healthcare workers of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, India, from September to October 2020. Profession, gender, age and date of diagnosis were matched for 186 case-control pairs. Cases and controls were healthcare workers who tested positive and negative, respectively, for COVID-19 by RT-PCR. Exposure was defined as the intake of ivermectin and/or hydroxychloroquine and/or vitamin-C and/or other prophylaxis for COVID-19. Data collection and entry was done in Epicollect5, and analysis was performed using STATA version 13. Conditional logistic regression models were used to describe the associated factors for COVID-19 infection. Results: Ivermectin prophylaxis was taken by 77 controls and 38 cases. Two-dose ivermectin prophylaxis (0.27, 95% CI, 0.15-0.51) was associated with 73% reduction of COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers for the following one month, those who were involved in physical activity (3.06 95% CI, 1.18-7.93) for more than an hour/day were more likely to contract COVID-19 infection. Type of household, COVID duty, single-dose ivermectin prophylaxis, vitamin-C prophylaxis and hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis were not associated with COVID-19 infection. Conclusion: Two-dose ivermectin prophylaxis at a dose of 300 μg/kg with a gap of 72 hours was associated 73% reduction of COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers for the following one-month. Further research is required before its large scale use. Keywords: COVID-19, Ivermectin, Chemoprophylaxis, Healthcare workers, India

RETRACTED: Use of ivermectin in the treatment of Covid-19: A pilot trial

“…A meta-analysis study also supports the effectiveness of ivermectin as add-on therapy in patients with Covid-19, suggesting reduction in mortality and improving clinical outcomes [ 21 ]. Recently, a hospital-based matched case-control study among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Bhubaneswar - India, reported on the efficacy of ivermectin as a prophylactic agent against COVID-19 in HCWs [ 22 ]. The study showed that two-dose ivermectin prophylaxis, each dose of 300 mcg/kg with a 72 h interval between them, was independently associated with 73 % (Adjusted Odds Ratio 0.27, 95 % Confidence Interval, 0.15−0.51) reduction in SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers in the following month.…”

Therapeutic Strategies in the Management of COVID-19

“…A reduction of 73 % in COVID-19 infection was observed in health care works for the following one month. In this study the health care workers were given two–dose of ivermectin prophylaxis at dose of 300 μg/kg with a gap of 72 hours ( Behera et al, 2020 ). This study was not peer reviewed and further clinical trials are required so that it can be used in large scale or to be used for clinical trial.…”

Ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19- friend or foe?

“…At least eight of these seem to have been completed to date, and the forthcoming publication of the relevant study results is being eagerly anticipated. [43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56]58…”