The Use of Mebendazole in COVID-19 Patients: An Observational Retrospective Single Center Study. (10th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Galal, Mostafa W.; Ahmed, Mahmoud; Shao, Yanqiu; Xing, Chao; Ali, Wael; Baly, Abd Elhamid; Elfiky, Abdallah; Amer, Khaled; Schoggins, John; Sadek, Hesham A.; Gobara, Zeinab N.
• Other Names: Lin Shih-Chao Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Advances in virology. Volume 2022(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12-10
• Subjects: Virology -- Periodicals; 616.9101
• DOI: 10.1155/2022/3014686
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1687-8639

Abstract

Abstract : Background . An in-silico screen identified mebendazole with potential antiviral activity that could be a repurposed drug against SARS-CoV-2. Mebendazole is a well-tolerated and cheap antihelminthic agent that is readily available worldwide and thus could be a therapeutic tool in the fight against COVID-19. Methods . This is an observational retrospective study of PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients who received mebendazole with the intention-to-treat. The study included an inpatient cohort (157 inpatients) and an outpatient cohort (185 outpatients). Of the 157 inpatients and 185 outpatients, 68 (43.3%) and 94 (50.8%) received mebendazole, respectively. Patients who presented within the same timeframe but did not receive mebendazole were used as controls. Patients received standard-of-care treatment including remdesivir, dexamethasone, and anticoagulants as deemed necessary by the treating physician. The following clinical outcomes were evaluated: for the inpatient cohort, length of stay (LOS) at the hospital, need for ventilation (combined invasive and noninvasive), and mortality; for the outpatient cohort, time to symptom resolution, need for hospitalization, and mortality. Results . For the inpatient cohort, the median age did not differ between the treatment and control groups; 62 (56, 67) vs. 62 (56, 68), P, and there was a comparable proportion of males in both groups; 43 (63%) vs. 55 (62%), P = 0.85 . The hospital LOS was 3.5 days shorter in the treatment group compared to the control group (P < 0.001 ). There were fewer patients who required invasive or noninvasive ventilation in the treatment group, 2 (2.9%) vs. 7 (7.9%), and the mortality rate is lower in the treatment group, 3 (4.4%) vs. 8 (9.0%), though the differences did not reach statistical significance. For the outpatient cohort, the median age was lower in the treatment group compared with the control group; 40 (34, 48) vs. 48 (41, 54), P < 0.001 . There was a comparable proportion of males between both groups; 50 (53%) vs. 52 (57%), P = 0.59 . Patients in the treatment group were 3.3 days closer to symptom resolution (P < 0.001 ). There were numerically fewer patients requiring hospitalization in the treatment group compared with the control group, 3 (3.2%) vs. 6 (6.6%), though this did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.33 ). Conclusion . In this retrospective observational study, the use of mebendazole in COVID-19 patients was associated with shorter hospitalizations in the inpatient cohort and shorter durations of symptom resolution in the outpatient cohort. The findings from this small observational study are hypothesis-generating and preclude drawing conclusions about clinical efficacy. Further studies are needed to examine the role of mebendazole in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.