Amantadine ineffective in hospital treatment – results of Polish studies

The results of the study on the effectiveness of administering amantadine among hospitalized COVID-19 patients leave no illusions. In patients with moderate to severe course, this drug is not effective. The study was therefore discontinued. However, another Polish study is still underway, led by prof. Konrad Rejdak.

1. On February 11, the results of the “preliminary analysis of the preliminary analysis” regarding the use of amantadine in hospitalized COVID-19 patients were published
2. They clearly show that there are no significant differences between the use of amantadine and placebo in this group of patients
3. At the same time, research in another group is still ongoing – we do not know yet what the results will be
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Amantadine ineffective in hospitalized patients

On February 11, the Ministry of Health organized a conference on the results of research on amantadine treatment. It is about research conducted under the leadership of prof. Adam Barczyk from the Medical University of Silesia. 163 patients were among the participants, and finally 149 patients were included in the trial. 78 people received amantadine and 71 – placebo. The presented graphs clearly show that the use of amantadine among patients with a moderate or severe course of COVID-19 (requiring hospitalization at an early stage) did not bring positive effects in relation to the placebo group.

This means that the administration of amantadine did not improve the condition of patients in any way. The results of the study turned out to be so unequivocal that Polish scientists decided to end it at this stage.

The rest of the text is below the video.

The second amantadine study is still ongoing. What’s the difference?

However, we are still waiting for the results of another study verifying the effectiveness of amantadine in the treatment of coronavirus. Since mid-2021, they have been led by prof. Konrad Rejdak, head of the Department and Clinic of Neurology at the Medical University of Lublin.

There is a significant difference between the two studies: it was conducted by prof. Barczyk involved patients at an early stage of the disease, but with pulmonary symptoms. In their case, the condition was therefore more advanced. In the case of the ongoing study, we are dealing with early stage patients who do not have respiratory failure.

– They are exposed to a more severe course of COVID-19, against which amantadine may protect them. It is crucial that these are patients without respiratory failure. In our opinion, this is the best time to start the drug – it is supposed to prevent the phase with a respiratory disorder – said Prof. Konrad Rejdak.

Prof. Rejdak also explained how amantadine could help such patients.

– It’s a drug with a complex mechanism of action. We believe that it has moderate antiviral activity. In addition, it is absorbed into the central nervous system and viral invasion also occurs there. Additionally, amantadine stimulates messenger systems in the brain. In practice, this means that it supports the body in the fight against the disease. We believe that amantadine’s stimulation of messenger systems may prove beneficial in preventing complications related to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The “illusory chance” that the second test will produce a different result? Prof. Rejdak replies

During the conference, prof. Adam Barczyk, answering journalists’ questions, stated that there was only an “illusory chance” that the research led by prof. Rejdak will bring other solutions. We asked for a comment on this.

– Studies have shown that molnupiravir has no effect at all in advanced disease and was therefore discontinued. But it showed effectiveness in the early stages, and we’re at the same point. It is worth waiting for this second test. I think that soon we will have analyzes taking into account neurological parameters, i.e. whether it protects against complications in patients. I will only emphasize that we did not plan to include patients with pneumonia from the beginning, because we consider it inadequate to the drug’s action – said Prof. Rejdak.

Amantadine on censored. Prohibition of prescribing for one surgery

Many Poles use amantadine on their own to treat COVID-19, which is clearly denied by most doctors. Also prof. Last year Rejdak emphasized not to do so.

– You must not self-medicate or get medicine from grandma or grandpa. We are at the stage of waiting for the results of reliable research, which we hope will appear in a month or two. Each drug must undergo specific procedures, because then we get scientific evidence of sufficient strength. I will only add that if a doctor who knows the patient’s state of health prescribes such a drug for him and it is their joint decision, it is difficult to interfere with something like that. But I don’t recommend self-treatment. Each prescription drug has different individual side effects, and the correct dosage is also necessary, he said for MedTvoiLokony.

During the MZ conference, we learned that the clinic in Przemyśl, which prescribed amantadine to its patients, was banned from such practices. At the moment, the ban did not apply to other institutions.

Also read:

1. “Beginning of the end of the epidemic”. Is this the end of the fifth wave? A chart of infections in Poland
2. Sweden lifted almost all restrictions and opened its borders. From the beginning, it went against the tide
3. The number of infections in the world is falling, but the WHO warns: COVID is not over yet
4. How long have you contaminated with Omikron? [WE EXPLAIN]