Can Hydroxychloroquine Be Useful in the Prevention of COVID-19? An Italian Survey in Dermatologic and Rheumatologic Patients Already Under Treatment

    July 2020 in “ Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology ”
    Maria Vastarella, Angela Patrì, Maria Carmela Annunziata, Mariateresa Cantelli, Paola Nappa, Marco Tasso, Luisa Costa, Francesco Caso, Gabriella Fabbrocini
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    TLDR Hydroxychloroquine might help prevent COVID-19, but more research is needed.
    The document summarizes an observational retrospective study involving 66 Italian patients on hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for chronic dermatologic or rheumatologic diseases, assessing its potential as a preventive measure against COVID-19. The study found that 98.4% of the patients did not develop symptoms indicative of SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggesting a possible protective effect of HCQ. However, the study's limitations, such as the small sample size and lack of confirmed COVID-19 exposure among participants, were acknowledged. The authors called for further research with larger samples to confirm HCQ's efficacy in preventing COVID-19 and proposed a new prospective observational study to explore this potential.
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