When there is a pandemic there is no time to waste: should we have hydroxychloroquine in our armoury against COVID-19 infected patients?

Dimitrios P Bogdanos; Zoi Daniil; Epaminondas Zakynthinos; Konstantinos Gourgoulianis; Lazaros I Sakkas

doi:10.31138/mjr.31.1.94

When there is a pandemic there is no time to waste: should we have hydroxychloroquine in our armoury against COVID-19 infected patients?

Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2020 Mar 31;31(1):94-97. doi: 10.31138/mjr.31.1.94. eCollection 2020 Mar.

Authors

Dimitrios P Bogdanos¹, Zoi Daniil², Epaminondas Zakynthinos³, Konstantinos Gourgoulianis², Lazaros I Sakkas¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology.
² Department of Respiratory Medicine, and.
³ Intensive Care Unit, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.

Abstract

The current use of chloroquine and/or hydroxychloroquine, a drug currently used to treat autoimmune rheumatic diseases, in treating severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) or COVID-19-infected patients with pneumonia is a matter of intense consideration. We wish to enter the ongoing debate as to whether this well-known drug must be given to Greek COVID-19-infected patients, especially those with pneumonia. Our arguments are based on the existing data and the capacity of the Greek health system to afford potent anti-viral treatments, which are under immense investigation. We propose several suggestions related to treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia with chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine that we think must be taken into consideration to fit the evolving situation of the pandemic in Greece.

Keywords: COVID19; chloroquine; hydroxychloroquine; pandemic.