HCQ+AZ early in the epidemic had a fairly good success rate with few complications, 86% of HCQ patients survived and 92% of HCQ+AZ patients. Patients not receiving either had 93% survival but were not considered comparable because the treated groups were significantly more ill (100% hypoxic at admission vs. 59%) and this study does not adjust for the differences.
Transition from an early intubation strategy to aggressive utilization of high flow nasal cannula and noninvasive ventilation (i.e, BiPAP) was successful in freeing up ICU resources.
McGrail et al., 7/19/2020, retrospective, USA, North America, preprint, 2 authors.
risk of death, 70.0% higher, RR 1.70, p = 0.69, treatment 4 of 33 (12.1%), control 3 of 42 (7.1%).
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.