ROLE OF IVERMECTIN, DOXYCYCLINE ALONG WITH SUPPORTIVE CARE IN TREATMENT OF COVID-19 POSITIVE CHILDREN (>9 YEAR) AND ADOLESCENT AGE GROUP A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY FROM TERTIARY CARE CENTER OF WESTERN U.P

Background: In December 2019, the infection caused by 2019 novel coronavirus led to an outbreak in Wuhan, situated in the Hubei Province of China. The number of studies on children with COVID-19 is limited. We reviewed that COVID-19 does indeed affect children the same way as any other age group. Children can act as carriers of the virus and can endanger the lives of other individuals.

Aim: In this Prospective study a combination of Ivermectin, Doxycycline along with supportive care was evaluated therapeutically to treat COVID-19 children (> 9 year) and adolescent age group.

Method: Study was performed on pediatric COVID-19 patient who were enrolled in this study with a predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. RT- PCR of the SERS-CoV-2 was done. The clinical features and response to treatment were noted according to protocol. Patients were divided in 2 groups.Combination of Ivermectin, Doxycycline and supportive treatment were given in one group and other group acted as control. Retesting was done between 5 to 25 days of starting medication.

Result: In the study after excluding 50 patients, out of remaining 110 patients, males and females were 67 and 43 respectively, the age ranged between 9-18 years (Mean age was 10.88 ± 2.39 year). Retesting was done between 5 to 25 days of starting medication. Symptomatic improvement was noticed after 2-3 days of starting medication. Mean recovery time in Ivermectin-Doxycycline-supportive care group (Group B) was 10.28±4.72 versus 14.92±8.40 in control group. Hence, using Ivermectin along with Doxycycline reduced mean time to recovery up to 4.64 days. By analyzing the mean time to recovery in mild, moderate and severe patients in each group, it was shown that the mean time to recovery in Group B was 6.88±1.84,11.78±1.81, 21.28±1.79 days, respectively vs 8.375±1.25, 12.76±1.73, 23.16±1.47 days respectively in Group A. All patients symptomatically improved and tested negative. No death was noted in either group.

Conclusion: Most of the cases of SARS-CoV-2 were mild and did not require specific treatment but combination of Ivermectin and Doxycycline along with supportive care was found to be effective in early viral clearance and helped the patients to overcome the disease early. Early improvement of symptoms and early discharge were noted in patients whom we gave combination of medicines. Over all it is a very cheap combination, save a lot of lives, and very helpful for resource-poor settings. This study has limitations as our number of patients was small.