Antiviral Agent Therapy Optimization in Special Populations of COVID-19 Patients

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is now a global outbreak of disease. The antiviral treatment acts as one of the most important means of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Alteration of physiological characteristics in special populations may lead to the change in drug pharmacokinetics, which may result in treatment failure or increased adverse drug reactions. Some potential drugs have shown antiviral effects on SARS-CoV-2 infections, such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, favipiravir, lopinavir/ritonavir, arbidol, interferon alpha, and remedsivir. Here, we reviewed the literature on clinical effects in COVID-19 patients of these antiviral agents and provided the potential antiviral agent options for pregnant women, elderly patients, liver or renal dysfunction patients, and severe or critically ill patients receiving renal replacement therapy or ECMO after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Keywords:

• coronavirus disease 2019
• severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
• antiviral therapy
• special population

Author Contributions

All authors contributed toward conception and design, acquisition of data, drafting and critically revising the paper, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.