The study, which was conducted during a period of high prevalence of the Delta and Omicron variants in the United States, included 1288 adult outpatients with COVID-19 who were randomly assigned to receive either fluvoxamine or a placebo.
The results showed that the hazard ratio for time to sustained recovery was 0.96 (with a 95% credible interval of 0.86-1.06) and the probability of improvement was 0.21. These findings did not meet the prespecified threshold of greater than 0.95 for posterior probability, indicating that fluvoxamine did not have a significant impact on symptom duration in the study population.
Fluvoxamine
Fluvoxamine, (brand name Luvox), is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class antidepressant. It is used to treat depression and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Fluvoxamine was of interest to researchers for treating Covid-19 because it has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects and may help to reduce the severity of respiratory infections among those with mild illness. However, the results of this trial do not support the use of fluvoxamine in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19.
Negative Trials
While the results of this trial may be less exciting than a positive clinical trial, it is important to stress the importance of negative trials in the field of clinical medicine. Negative trials, or trials that do not find a significant effect of a treatment, are just as valuable as positive trials in helping to improve medical care.
In this case, the findings of the trial do not support the use of fluvoxamine in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 and help to guide healthcare providers in making treatment decisions for their patients.
Takeaway
In conclusion, the results of this clinical trial do not support the use of fluvoxamine in low doses for 10 days in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adult outpatients. This does not mean that fluvoxamine is completely useless in the treatment of COVID-19. This trial has only shown that it is not significantly beneficial at this dosage, for this duration, in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. If you are struggling with Covid-19 symptoms, call your doctor, as there are many treatment options available or in-development.
While negative trials can be disappointing, they are crucial in helping healthcare providers make informed treatment decisions and guiding future research.
