Hong Kong Med J 2025;31(Suppl 4):S14-9
Single and combined anti-COVID-19 drugs among hospitalised patients: abridged secondary publication
CKH Wong1,2,3, EYF Wan1,2,3, EHY Lau3,4, BJ Cowling3,4, GM Leung3,4
1 Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
2 Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
3 Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
4 WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control, School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
 
 
  1. Early initiation (within 2 days of hospital admission) of a 5-day remdesivir regimen was associated with improved clinical outcomes and a reduced risk of in-hospital death among patients with moderate COVID-19 who did not require oxygen therapy upon admission.
  2. Initiation of remdesivir prior to or concurrently with dexamethasone was associated with a significantly shorter time to clinical improvement and seroconversion as well as a lower risk of in-hospital death among patients hospitalised with moderate COVID-19.
  3. Early administration of interferon-β-1b, either alone or in combination with oral ribavirin, was associated with improved survival and reduced need for mechanical ventilation and intensive care among patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.
  4. Cardiovascular disorders were the most common complications among post-discharge patients, followed by nephrological and hepatic, haematological, and respiratory disorders.