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Hydroxychloroquine With or Without Azithromycin for Virologic Cure of COVID-19

Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial of Hydroxychloroquine With or Without Azithromycin for Virologic Cure of COVID-19

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04349592
Enrollment
456
Registered
2020-04-16
Start date
2020-04-14
Completion date
2020-08-30
Last updated
2021-02-23

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Covid19

Keywords

Covid19, Qatar, Coronavirus, Hydroxychloroquine, Respiratory disease, Pandemic, Azithromycin, Viral Load, Emergency Department, SARS-CoV-2

Brief summary

Q-PROTECT is a placebo controlled randomized trial (RCT) to ascertain the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine (HC) alone or, in combination with azithromycin (AZ), in reducing viral load in patients with COVID 19.

Detailed description

Reducing viral load is potentially key to reducing viral transmission between humans. Observational data suggests HC and AZ may reduce the viral load. In this study we will randomise ambulatory patients with Covid 19 (confirmed by PCR in combination with clinical symptoms) to receive HC/AZ or HC/placebo or placebo for 7 days. On days 2-14, participants will be reviewed by a member of the research team and samples will be obtained for viral load, an ECG recorded and physical examination performed. On days 15-20, participants will be reviewed by telephone using a semi structured questionnaire. On day 21 participants will be examined in person and an oronasopharyngeal swabs obtained for PCR analysis. Participants will be followed for 6 months via their medical records.

Interventions

DRUGHydroxychloroquine

Hydroxychloroquine 200 mg tablet oral, one tablet three times a day for 7 days

DRUGAzithromycin

Azithromycin 250 mg capsules oral, 2 capsules on day one, followed by 1 capsule once a day for days 2-5.

OTHERPlacebo Tablet

Oral, one tablet three times a day for 7 days

OTHERPlacebo capsules

Oral 2 capsules on day one, followed by 1 capsule once a day for days 2-5.

Sponsors

Hamad Medical Corporation
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Double-blinded trial

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patient is in HMC facility for low-acuity, Covid-positive patients being quarantined. * Positive Covid test on qualitative assay used during routine care (i.e. not as part of Q-PROTECT) * Age at least 18

Exclusion criteria

* Treating physician judges patient not appropriate for study participation for any reason * Age \<18 * Breastfeeding or pregnancy (patient-reported pregnancy status is sufficient) * Hypersensitivity to chloroquine or HC or AZ * History of or known QT prolongation * EKG required before study entry and on each visit during the subject's first seven days on pro-tocol, during the time period HC is being taken * Baseline QTc \>480 if QRS width normal; QTc \>510 if QRS \>120 * Known G6PD deficiency, porphyria, or retinopathy (eye exam prior to study entry) * Known hepatic or renal disease (or abnormality on liver or renal function testing at study day 1) * Low magnesium or low potassium (by testing on day 1) * Current (pre-study) therapy with antimalarial or dapsone * Current (pre-study) therapy with antiviral agents (e.g. oseltamivir) * Tisdale36 score exceeding 6 as tallied below (based on ACC recommendations)\* * 1 point each: age\>67, female sex, or being on loop diuretic * 2 points each: serum potassium \<3.6, QTc\>449, acute myocardial infarction * 3 points each: sepsis, heart failure, QT-prolonging drugs

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Proportion of virologically cured (PCR-negative status) as assessed on day sixDay 6Days

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
virologic cure on other study daysDay14 and Day 21Days
virologic semiquantitative analysis of changing viral loadDay 1 to Day 21Days
proportion of initially symtomatic subjects with disappearance of clinical symptomsDay14 and Day 21Days
proportion of initially asymtomatic subjects with appearance of new clinical symptomsDay14 and Day 21Days
proportions of subjects with potentially medication- related adverse events7 daygrades

Countries

Qatar

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 25, 2026