Does Colchicine Prevent Progression to Artificial Ventilation in Covid-19 Positive Patients? A Study from Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To find out the effect of colchicine in prevention of progression to artificial ventilation in Covid-19 patients including young and elderly patients. Material and Methods: Study was conducted from 1st April 2020 till 30th September 2020 in a private, tertiary care hospital of Lahore. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on conveniently selected 179 PCR or radiologically confirmed Covid-19 positive adult and elderly, male and female patients admitted in Covid ward and Intensive care Unit (ICU) using the electronic as well as paper-based record. Amongst these patients, 33 patients were given colchicine, 137 recovered and 20 progressed to invasive ventilation. Result: Total 179 patients were included int the study and 96 (53.6%) were males and 83 (46.4%) were females. 52.5% had Diabetes mellitus, 58.7% had hypertension, 27.9% had ischemic heart disease, 8.4% had renal disease, 6.7% had lung disease/smoker. The average length of stay in hospital was 6.569±6.355 days. The outcome and progression to artificial ventilation in the patients who were given colchicine as compared to those who were not given colchicine were not statistically significant with a p value of 0.053 and 0.619, respectively. Conclusion: Colchicine has not shown a significant improvement in the outcome of Covid-19 and does not help in prevention of progression to invasive ventilation irrespective of age, gender, and co-morbidities.