Publication:

Efficacy and adverse effects of remdesivir in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: a retrospective study

Background Remdesivir is an antiviral medication approved by the US FDA to treat COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. However, it has unknown adverse effects and has shown deleterious impacts on several organ systems in randomized controlled trials. This study aims to describe the safety and efficacy of Remdesivir administration in a cohort of 586 patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in Qatar for COVID-19-related reasons.

Methods A retrospective study of 586 patients admitted with a diagnosis of COVID-19 and treated with Remdesivir were compared to 200 patients with COVID-19 who did not receive Remdesivir.

Results The rate of mechanical ventilation admission to the intensive care unit was comparable across the two groups (2.35% vs. 2%, p=0.75). Death rates were similar between the two groups (0.02% vs. 0.03%, p=0.43). There was a mean reduction in heart rate within the first three days of antiviral therapy. Negligible variations in serum AST, ALT, ALP, and eGFR levels were detected. Remdesivir-treated patients had a significantly shorter hospital stay.

Conclusions When using Remdesivir in COVID-19 patients, it's important to be cautious by evaluating baseline parameters and avoiding concurrent use of drugs that could affect the heart, kidneys, or liver.