The importance of outpatient etiotropic therapy in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of antiviral therapy prescribed at the outpatient stage on the course and outcomes of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients.  

Materials and methods. The retrospective study included 182 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 of moderate severity who received various initial therapy in the period before hospitalization. In the main group (91 patients), therapy included antiviral drugs: favipiravir or umifenovir, in the comparison group (also 91 patients), the treatment regimens did not contain etiotropic drugs against SARS-CoV-2. The groups were comparable in age, gender and severity of the disease. All patients received antipyretic drugs (paracetamol), vitamin therapy, according to indications – local antiseptics, mucolytics, antiplatelet agents and antibacterial drugs. The effectiveness of treatment was evaluated on days 7 and 14.  

Results. The presence of the virus was significantly less frequently detected on day 7 – in 15.38% and on day 14 of the disease – in 2.20% among patients receiving antiviral therapy, 82.42% and 39.56%, respectively in the comparison group. The average duration of the disease was more than 5 days less – 8.28 ± 3.74 days. The proportion of patients with a deterioration in their clinical condition to 3-4 points was significantly higher in the group that did not receive antiviral drugs – 61.54%, and with the use of favipiravir or umifenovir – 2.2%.  

Conclusions: 1. Timely administration of antiviral therapy for COVID-19 at the outpatient stage prevents the increase in severity, the development of complications, promotes earlier elimination of the virus and shortens the duration of the disease during hospitalization of the patient. 2. The absence of antiviral therapy with moderate severity of COVID-19 at the outpatient stage significantly increases the risk of deterioration of the patient’s condition. 

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