METHYLENE BLUE AS RESCUE THERAPY FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS WHO FAILED TO RESPOND TO OTHER THERAPIES (FIRST REPORT)
AHMAD BAGHERI MOGHADDAM
Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
SAIED HAFIZI LOTFABADI
Department of Internal Medicine, Shariati Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
MARZIEH AGHELI-RAD
Department of Internal Medicine, Shariati Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
MARZIEH HAMED EBRAHIMI SAFAR
Department of Internal Medicine, Shariati Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
MINOO TOGHRAEI
Department of Internal Medicine, Shariati Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
MOHAMMAD ARASTOO
Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
DARYOUSH HAMIDI ALAMDARI *
Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
There is currently no consensus on specific pharmacological treatments for COVID-19 and there is debate about the efficacy and safety of antiviral drugs. The aim of this study is to show the effect of the reduced form of Methylene blue (MB) as the last option of treatment to rescue patients who did not respond to Remdesivir, Interferon-β, and Favipiravir therapies. Ten hospitalized severe COVID-19 patients (who failed to respond to Remdesivir, Interferon-β, and Favipiravir) were administered oral MB (1 mg/kg every 8 hours for two days, followed by 1mg/kg every 12 hours for the next days). These patients recovered completely. MB can be used in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. For the treatment of COVID-19 patients, in addition to fluid therapy and oxygen support, different types of drugs are required simultaneously, such as anti-viral agents, antibiotics, anticoagulants, immunomodulatory drugs, and antioxidants. MB possesses all of these properties along with anti-hypoxemia and anti-respiratory distress features and can therefore be included in the clinical management of COVID-19.
Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT04370288; IRCT20191228045924N1
Keywords: COVID-19, methylene blue, remdesivir, interferon-β, favipiravir