This study was designed to assess the real-world efficacy of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid) for early outpatient COVID-19 during the first 6 months of 2022 in an era of prevalent SARS-CoV-2 immunity and immune-evasive Omicron subvariants. It attempts to emulate a clinical trial using observational data from 117,000 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 to determine the drug combination’s efficacy in preventing hospitalization within 2 weeks of diagnosis and death of any causes within 28 days. Of 44,000 outpatients receiving Paxlovid, 69 (0.55%) were hospitalized compared to 310 (.97%) among the 32,000 patients who were not, resulting in an adjusted risk ratio for Paxlovid of 0.56 (CI, 0.42-0.75), confirming the drug combination’s effectiveness among vaccinated and unvaccinated patients aged 50 and older.
An accompanying editorial compliments the author’s attempt to minimize bias in a retrospective data evaluation, lends perspective to the value of recent trials and reviews current literature.
SAB Comment: This is a high-profile retrospective real-world study corroborating Paxlovid’s effectiveness.
The material on this website is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. New knowledge is added daily and may change over time. Opinions expressed should not be construed as representing IARS policy or recommendations. References and links to third parties do not constitute an endorsement or warranty by IARS.
International Anesthesia Research Society
GuideStar/Candid