Umifenovir in treatment of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections in outpatient care

Abstract

Purpose: Umifenovir - antiviral drug of a wide range of activity, acting in the early stages of virus reproduction. it disrupts the process of fusion of the viral lipid membrane with intracellular membranes. The virus-specific target of the drug in the cycle of reproduction of the influenza virus is hemagglutinin. The aim of study was to evaluate the efficacy of antiviral therapy with umifenovir in outpatient patients with influenza and acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) without risk factors for severe course of disease. Methods & Materials: 215 patients aged 18–74 years with influenza and ARVI within 5–36 hours of symptoms onset were randomized into 2 groups. 1th group was treated with umifenovir 200 mg qid 5 days (n = 109), 2nd group (=106) received placebo according to the same scheme. Duration of disease, duration and severity of the main clinical symptoms, frequency of complications and speed of the virus elimination from the nasopharynx were estimated. Results: The number of cases with complete recovery within 96 hours was 58.7 ± 4,7% in 1st group and 44.3 ± 4,7% in 2nd group (p = 0.04), after 108 hours - 67.9% ± 4,5 and 50.4 ± 4,9% (p = 0.04). The duration of fever was 67.0 ± 2,7 hours in group 1 and 76.9 ± 2,5 hours in group 2 (p = 0.02), muscle pain-51.1 ± 2,1 and 59.7 ± 2,5 hours (p = 0.023), headache-51.3 ± 2,5 and 64.4 ± 2,3 hours (p = 0.01), weakness – 75.3 ± 2,2 and 89.8 ± 2,3 hours (p = 0.001), respectively. On the 4th day of treatment the virus was isolated in 34.9 ± 4,6% of cases in the 1st group and 57.8 ± 4,8% of patients in 2nd group; p = 0.03. Bacterial complications were observed in 3,7 ± 3,3% and 13,2 ± 3,3% accordingly, p = 0.04. Conclusion: The study is demonstrated the effectiveness of umifenovir in the treatment of influenza and ARVI in adult outpatient patients. The antiviral effect of the drug, which was administered within 36 hours of the symptoms onset is manifested by a more rapid reduction of clinical symptoms and their severity, frequency of bacterial complications and reduction in the time of virus elimination.