Ivermectin is not effective in preventing severe symptoms COVID -19 - A study by Malaysian researchers
Astro Awani
February 20, 2022
A study conducted in Malaysia found that Ivermectin was not effective in preventing COVID-19 patients from getting severe symptoms. -Decoration/Shutterstock pictures
KUALA LUMPUR: A study conducted in Malaysia found that Ivermectin was not effective in curing COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms.
The findings of the randomized clinical trial were published in the journal Jama Internal Medicine, on Friday.
A Reuters report quoted Malaysian researchers as saying that their findings did not support the use of Ivermectin for COVID-19 patients.
The study sample included 490 patients consisting of 223 men and 267 women aged 50 years and above with comorbid diseases in 20 hospitals and COVID-19 quarantine centers in Malaysia.
All of them were infected with COVID-19 with mild to moderate symptoms.
A total of 241 people were given Ivermectin daily for a period of five days, while 249 patients were given standard treatment.
During the five days of Ivermectin, which is the first week of COVID-19 infection, it was found not to reduce the risk of severe symptoms.
Severe symptoms developed in 21.6 percent of patients given Ivermectin, and in 17.3 percent of those receiving only standard care, the researchers said.
They define severe symptoms as needing oxygen to aid breathing.
According to the study, there were no statistically significant differences between groups in intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates, need for ventilator use, or mortality.
The full findings of the study can be read here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2789362
Meanwhile, the use of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19 is also currently being studied in trials in the United Kingdom conducted by Oxford University.
Oxford researchers said they did not want to comment until they had a decision to report.
