The Therapeutic Effectiveness of Two Combined Regimens in Managing COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients: A Single-Center, RetrospectiveObservational Analysis

Background: Currently, there is no established pharmaceutical treatment for coronavirus patients; however, therapeutic approaches are still being developed to assess effective treatments during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it has been observed that combination therapy may improve the individual's treatment output. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of two independent combination regimens to improve the health conditions of individuals infected with a novel coronavirus. Methods: The current study was a retrospective, single-centered observational study. It included 100 COVID-19-positive patients with age ≥18 years, all with confirmed positive laboratory results. The patients' clinical and laboratory data were recorded. The participants were classified into two distinct groups based on the therapeutic regimens: group I received regimen I, which included azithromycin, favipiravir, clopidogrel, and acetaminophen, and group II received regimen II, which included ceftriaxone, levofloxacin, methylprednisolone, clopidogrel, and acetaminophen. Results: Patients following regimen II showed improvements in white blood cell count (WBC) (P = 0), lymphocyte cells (P< 0.001), C-reactive protein (p< 0), and respiration rate (RR) (p<0.001). Despite a significant difference in the level of platelet count between the two groups, clinically significant changes were observed in temperature and SpO2 levels. Conclusion: This study indicated the beneficial effects of a 3-day short-term treatment with regimen II, which included ceftriaxone, levofloxacin, methylprednisolone, clopidogrel, and acetaminophen, compared to regimen I, which included azithromycin, favipiravir, clopidogrel, and acetaminophen, in patients. As there is insufficient evidence regarding the safety of these regimens, further investigations are needed to support additional research for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.