Silva et al., medRxiv,
doi:10.1101/2021.03.03.21252509 (Preprint)
Efficacy of Nitazoxanide in reducing the viral load in COVID-19 patients. Randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blinded, parallel group, pilot study
Small RCT with 23 nitazoxanide and 13 control patients showing significantly more patients achieved over 35% reduction in viral load from baseline.
NCT04463264.
Silva et al., 3/5/2021, Single Blind Randomized Controlled Trial, Argentina, South America, preprint, 11 authors.
relative mean improvement in Ct, 26.5% lower, RR 0.74, p = 0.36, treatment 23, control 13.
risk of viral load reduction < 35% at day 7, 38.3% lower, RR 0.62, p = 0.08, treatment 12 of 23 (52.2%), control 11 of 13 (84.6%).
Effect extraction follows
pre-specified rules
prioritizing more serious outcomes. For an individual study the most serious
outcome may have a smaller number of events and lower statistical signficance,
however this provides the strongest evidence for the most serious outcomes
when combining the results of many trials.