Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia with favipiravir: early results from the Ege University cohort, Turkey

Authors: HÜSEYİN AYTAÇ ERDEM, PERVİN KORKMAZ EKREN, DERYA ÇAĞLAYAN, MELTEM TAŞBAKAN, TANSU YAMAZHAN, MEHMET SEZAİ TAŞBAKAN, ABDULLAH SAYINER, AYŞE DENİZ GÖKENGİN

Abstract: Background/aim: The aim of this descriptive article is to share the experience in Ege University, Turkey with favipiravir in the treatment of severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Materials and methods: This retrospective descriptive study included patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who presented with or developed severe pneumonia. Results: Forty patients who completed a full course (at least 5 days) of favipiravir were included in the study. At baseline, 30 (75%) patients required treatment for respiratory distress. Thirty-three patients (82.5%) were discharged from the hospital with full recovery, 6 patients (15%) died and 1 case (2.5%) was still at the intensive care unit (ICU) when this paper was written. Conclusion: This study provides relevant information for the treatment of COVID-19, suggesting that favipiravir was associated with significant clinical and laboratory improvements in the majority of the patients, is a safe drug with no serious side effects and would merit further investigation.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, favipiravir, COVID-19, coronavirus, pandemic, antiviral therapy

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