tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Travel Med Infect Dis
. 2021 Mar 2;41:102005.
doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102005. Online ahead of print.
Correlation of the rise and fall in COVID-19 cases with the social isolation index and early outpatient treatment with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil: a retrospective analysis
Fabricio Souza Neves[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: To contribute to the understanding of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, this study evaluated the correlations of the frequencies of COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations due to COVID-19, and deaths due to COVID-19 with social isolation indices and outpatient prescriptions of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil.
Methods: This was an analytical, observational, retrospective study based on secondary data that were obtained from public Brazilian databases and covered the period from 1 March 2020 to 31 October 2020 (epidemiological weeks 10-44). Data on weekly COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths due COVID-19, sales of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, and social isolation indices were obtained. Associations between the variables were tested using multiple linear regression analysis.
Results: In all regions of Santa Catarina, there were almost simultaneous peaks of COVID-19 pandemic in weeks 28-31, followed by a sudden decrease. Social isolation indices were not associated with the outcomes; sales of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine were significant predictors of all outcomes (p<0.001). COVID-19 prevalence was significantly different across the state regions when COVID-19 cases started to decline (p<0.001).
Discussion: Collective immunity and social isolation may not have been the only causes for the reduction of the COVID-19 pandemic observed in Santa Catarina. The results of this study were compatible with the hypothesis that early treatment of COVID-19 cases with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine may contribute to reducing the transmissibility of COVID-19 in the population. This hypothesis needs to be further tested in future studies.
Keywords: Brazil; COVID-19; Chloroquine; Hydroxychloroquine; SARS-CoV-2; Social isolation.
. 2021 Mar 2;41:102005.
doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102005. Online ahead of print.
Correlation of the rise and fall in COVID-19 cases with the social isolation index and early outpatient treatment with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil: a retrospective analysis
Fabricio Souza Neves[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33667717
- PMCID: PMC7923871
- DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102005
Abstract
Background: To contribute to the understanding of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, this study evaluated the correlations of the frequencies of COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations due to COVID-19, and deaths due to COVID-19 with social isolation indices and outpatient prescriptions of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil.
Methods: This was an analytical, observational, retrospective study based on secondary data that were obtained from public Brazilian databases and covered the period from 1 March 2020 to 31 October 2020 (epidemiological weeks 10-44). Data on weekly COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths due COVID-19, sales of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, and social isolation indices were obtained. Associations between the variables were tested using multiple linear regression analysis.
Results: In all regions of Santa Catarina, there were almost simultaneous peaks of COVID-19 pandemic in weeks 28-31, followed by a sudden decrease. Social isolation indices were not associated with the outcomes; sales of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine were significant predictors of all outcomes (p<0.001). COVID-19 prevalence was significantly different across the state regions when COVID-19 cases started to decline (p<0.001).
Discussion: Collective immunity and social isolation may not have been the only causes for the reduction of the COVID-19 pandemic observed in Santa Catarina. The results of this study were compatible with the hypothesis that early treatment of COVID-19 cases with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine may contribute to reducing the transmissibility of COVID-19 in the population. This hypothesis needs to be further tested in future studies.
Keywords: Brazil; COVID-19; Chloroquine; Hydroxychloroquine; SARS-CoV-2; Social isolation.