Impactos no trato gastrointestinal do uso da cloroquina/hidroxicloroquina, ivermectina e/ou azitromicina em pacientes com covid-19

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a global race for therapeutic tools to treat the disease. Even without robust scientific evidence to prove the effectiveness of these medications, prescriptions and consumption of drug combinations like the Brazilian COVID Kit, composed of azithromycin, hydroxychloroquine, and ivermectin, significantly increased in the country. Objectives: To elucidate whether there was a direct relationship between the emergence of gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID-19 patients and the use of the COVID Kit. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytical and quantitative epidemiological study was conducted on patients diagnosed with confirmed COVID-19. Participants underwent a sociodemographic questionnaire to assess potential sociodemographic correlations and adherence to medication use. Subsequently, a questionnaire was administered to detect possible gastrointestinal symptoms in these individuals. Results: The study included 48 untreated patients and 78 treated patients. Participants with a family income of up to 3 minimum wages were the ones who most reported using the pharmacological therapy. Among treated patients, the most commonly used drug combination was ivermectin + azithromycin. Among the evaluated symptoms, abdominal pain, hunger pain, diarrhea, and urgency of evacuation were the parameters that showed the most significant differences between the treatment and non-treatment groups. Diarrhea syndrome, when evaluated, demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the study groups. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated an association between the use of the medication combination and gastrointestinal disturbances, such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, necessitating further studies to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these symptoms.