Azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial
RCT (7,763 included in the assessment of azithromycin) found no significant difference for 10 days of azithromycin vs usual care for mortality at 28 days (22% for both, p=0.50), hospital stay (10 days vs 11 days) or the proportion discharged alive at 28 days (RR 1.04, p=0.19).
Source:
The Lancet
SPS commentary:
A related commentary comments on the research, and concludes that given that the addition of azithromycin to existing standard of care regimens did not improve outcomes in the RECOVERY and COALITION II trials, routine use of azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 should be avoided, to allow better allocation of health-care resources.
On 15th December a Therapeutic Alert was issued advising that azithromycin should NOT used in the management of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection in hospitalised patients