Medical Science
Volume 25, Issue 107, January, 2021
The effects of Hydroxychloroquine on COVID-19 in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
Hyder Mirghani1, Mubarak Mohammed Theeb Alsaeed2♦, Wejdan Abdullah Hamdan Alshehri2
1Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Endocrine, Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
2Medical intern, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
♦Corresponding author
Medical intern, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk,
Saudi Arabia;
Email: mobark_1155@hotmail.com
ABSTRACT
Background: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Its use among patients with COVID-
19 is a matter of controversy. Also, previous studies mostly assessed hospitalized patients who were more likely severely infected.
Literature in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lack, thus, the current study investigated the role of HCQ in patients affected with COVID-
19 visiting an outpatient specialized COVID-19 in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia. Subjects and Methods: This is a case-control study
conducted among 399 patients with COVID-19 at Tatamman Clinic, Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia during the period from August 2020 to
December 2020. One hundred ninety-nine were given HCQ and those who refused the treatment were considered as controls).
Demographic data, vital signs, and baseline symptoms including fever, sore throat, cough, loss of smell, difficulty in breathing, and
other gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded. The patients were followed and for the reported symptoms. All the participants
signed a written informed consent and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for a comparison between
intervention and control groups. Results: They were 399 patients with COVID-19 matched for age and sex. No significant differences
between the intervention and control group regarding COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusion: Covid-19 symptomatology was no affected
by HCQ treatment and its use in mild-moderate disease and chemoprophylaxis is not recommended.
Keywords: Hydroxychloroquine, COVID-19, symptoms, Saudi Arabia
Medical Science, 2021, 25(107), 224-229
