Retrospective patients with rheumatologic conditions showing zero of 10,703 COVID-19 deaths for HCQ patients versus 7 of 21,406 propensity matched control patients (not statistically significant). The average age of HCQ patients is slightly lower 64.8 versus 65.4 control.
COVID-19 cases OR 0.79,
p=0.27. There are several significant differences in the propensity matched patients that could affect results, e.g., 20.9% SLE versus 24.7%.
Gentry et al., 9/21/2020, retrospective, database analysis, USA, North America, peer-reviewed, 6 authors.
risk of death, 91.3% lower, RR 0.09, p = 0.10, treatment 0 of 10703 (0.0%), control 7 of 21406 (0.0%), continuity correction due to zero event (with reciprocal of the contrasting arm), COVID-19 mortality within all patients.
risk of death, 90.7% lower, RR 0.09, p = 0.19, treatment 0 of 31 (0.0%), control 7 of 78 (9.0%), continuity correction due to zero event (with reciprocal of the contrasting arm), mortality for infected patients.
risk of COVID-19 case, 20.9% lower, RR 0.79, p = 0.27, treatment 31 of 10703 (0.3%), control 78 of 21406 (0.4%), odds ratio converted to relative risk.
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.