Another nail in the coffin of ivermectin nutters.
WEDNESDAY, March 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) — In trials of ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19, the relative risk of mortality varies with strongyloidiasis (threadworms) prevalence, according to research published online March 21 in JAMA Network Open.
Avi Bitterman, M.D., from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, and colleagues examined the association between regional prevalence of strongyloidiasis (worms) and ivermectin trial results for the outcome of mortality in a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials using ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19. Data were included from 12 trials, with 3,901 patients: four and eight trials took place in regions of high and low strongyloidiasis (worm) prevalence, respectively.
The researchers found that there was NO significantly decreased risk of mortality in ivermectin trials that took place in areas of low regional strongyloidiasis (worm) prevalence. In contrast, a significantly decreased risk of mortality was seen in ivermectin trials that took place in areas of high regional strongyloidiasis (worm) prevalence. The difference between the results of groups with low and high strongyloidiasis (worm) prevalence was significant. For each 5 percent increase in strongyloidiasis (worm) prevalence, meta-regression analysis revealed a decrease of 38.83 percent in relative risk.
Comparison of Trials Using Ivermectin for COVID-19 Between Regions With High and Low Prevalence of Strongyloidiasis (worms) – JAMA
✱ Meaning Evidence supports that strongyloidiasis (worm) prevalence interacts with the RR (relative risk) of mortality in ivermectin trial results; NO evidence was found to suggest ivermectin has any role in preventing mortality in patients with COVID-19 in regions where strongyloidiasis (worms) is not endemic.
✱Results A total of 12 trials comprising 3901 patients were included in the analysis. Four trials (33%) took place in regions of high strongyloidiasis (worm) prevalence and 8 (67%) trials took place in regions of low strongyloidiasis (worm) prevalence. Ivermectin trials that took place in areas of low regional strongyloidiasis (worm) prevalence were not associated with a statistically significant decreased risk of mortality.
✱Conclusions and Relevance In this meta-analysis of 12 trials including 3901 patients, strongyloidiasis (worms) prevalence was found to interact with the RR (relative risk) of mortality for ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19. NO evidence was found to suggest ivermectin has any role in preventing mortality among patients with COVID-19 in regions where strongyloidiasis (worms) was not endemic.
Read the entire paper here at the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
