Association of Hydroxychloroquine with QTc Interval in Patients with COVID-19

Study (n=150) reports proportion of patients with mild (460-479 ms), intermediate (480-499) and severe (≥500 ms) QTc prolongation was 9%, 4% and 2%, respectively after median 5 days treatment; suggesting only a modest prolongation of QTc in patients with a normal baseline.

SPS commentary:

This ongoing prospective study, also did not demonstrate any significant differences in QTc prolongation between hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) monotherapy and combination of HCQ therapy with other COVID-19 drugs that potentially lead to QT prolongation i.e. with azithromycin (AZ) and/or lopinavir/ritonavir (LR) (p=0.742). Authors state, as expected, short-term use of HCQ alone, or in combination with at least one other hERG-blocking COVID-19 drugs (AZ or LR), was not associated with any life-threatening arrhythmic events.

Circulation