Retrospective cohort study of Ivermectin as a SARS-CoV-2 pre-exposure prophylaxis method in Healthcare Workers

Morgenstern, J.; Redondo, J. N.; Olavarria, A.; Rondon, I.; Roca, S.; De Leon, A.; Canela, J. M.; Tavares, J.; Minaya, M.; Lopez, O.; Castillo, A.; Placido, A. M.; Pena Cruz, R.; Merette, Y.; Toribio, M.; Francisco, J. A.

This observational and retrospective cohort study, carried out in two medical centers, Centro Medico Bournigal (CMBO) in Puerto Plata and Centro Medico Punta Cana (CMPC) in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, sought to determine whether Ivermectin, at a weekly oral (PO) dose of 0.2 mg/kg, is an effective pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) method for the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), in the healthcare workers. The study began on June 29, 2020 and ended on July 26, 2020, where 713 active healthcare personnel were included for the analysis, of which 326 adhered to a weekly prophylactic program with Ivermectin for Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19), designed by Grupo Rescue task force, that runs both medical centers, and 387 healthcare personnel who did not adhere to the program were assigned to the control group. A SPSS Propensity Score Matching procedure was applied in a 1:1 ratio to homogeneously evaluate the groups that were made up of 271 participants each. In 28 days of follow-up, a significant protection of Ivermectin as a PrEP method of infection from SARS-CoV-2 was observed 1.8% compared to those who did not take it 6.2%, (p-value = 0.006) and a reduction of the risk of a positive Chain Reaction of Real-Time Polymerase Transcription (RT-PCR) COVID-19 test by 74% (HR 0.26, 95% CI [0.10,0.71]). These results support the use of weekly Ivermectin as a compassionate preventive method in the healthcare personnel.