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Kirenga BJ, Mugenyi L, Sánchez-Rico M, Kyobe H, Muttamba W, Mugume R, Mwesigwa E, Kalimo E, Nyombi V, Segawa I, Namakula LO, Sekibira R, Kabweru W, Byanyima R, Aanyu H, Byakika-Kibwika P, Mwebesa HG, Hoertel N, Bazeyo W. Association of fluvoxamine with mortality and symptom resolution among inpatients with COVID-19 in Uganda: a prospective interventional open-label cohort study. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:5411-5418. [PMID: 36869228 PMCID: PMC9982784 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02004-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Prior research suggests that fluvoxamine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and major depressive disorder, could be repurposed against COVID-19. We undertook a prospective interventional open-label cohort study to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of fluvoxamine among inpatients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in Uganda. The main outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were hospital discharge and complete symptom resolution. We included 316 patients, of whom 94 received fluvoxamine in addition to standard care [median age, 60 years (IQR = 37.0); women, 52.2%]. Fluvoxamine use was significantly associated with reduced mortality [AHR = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.19-0.53; p < 0.001, NNT = 4.46] and with increased complete symptom resolution [AOR = 2.56; 95% CI = 1.53-5.51; p < 0.001, NNT = 4.44]. Sensitivity analyses yielded similar results. These effects did not significantly differ by clinical characteristic, including vaccination status. Among the 161 survivors, fluvoxamine was not significantly associated with time to hospital discharge [AHR 0.81, 95% CI (0.54-1.23), p = 0.32]. There was a trend toward greater side effects with fluvoxamine (7.45% versus 3.15%; SMD = 0.21; χ2 = 3.46, p = 0.06), most of which were light or mild in severity and none of which were serious. One hundred mg of fluvoxamine prescribed twice daily for 10 days was well tolerated and significantly associated with reduced mortality and with increased complete symptom resolution, without a significant increase in time to hospital discharge, among inpatients with COVID-19. Large-scale randomized trials are urgently needed to confirm these findings, especially for low- and middle-income countries, where access to vaccines and approved treatments against COVID-19 is limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce J Kirenga
- Department of Internal Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
- Makerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Levicatus Mugenyi
- Makerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda
- Medical Research Council, Uganda Virus Research Institute and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Entebbe Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Marina Sánchez-Rico
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), DMU Psychiatrie et Addictologie, Hôpital Corentin-Celton, F-92130, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
| | | | - Winters Muttamba
- Makerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda
- Division of Infection and Global Health, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | | | - Eliya Mwesigwa
- Makerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda
- Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ezra Kalimo
- Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Vicky Nyombi
- Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ivan Segawa
- Makerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Loryndah Olive Namakula
- Makerere University Lung Institute, Kampala, Uganda
- Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | | | - Hellen Aanyu
- Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | - Nicolas Hoertel
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), DMU Psychiatrie et Addictologie, Hôpital Corentin-Celton, F-92130, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- INSERM U1266, Institut de Psychiatrie et Neuroscience de Paris, Paris, France
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