Famotidine has been posited as a potential treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We compared the incidence of COVID-19 outcomes (i.e., death and death or intensive services use) among hospitalized famotidine users vs proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) users, hydroxychloroquine users, or famotidine nonusers separately.

SARS-CoV-2 infection is required for COVID-19, but many signs and symptoms of COVID-19 differ from common acute viral diseases. SARS-CoV-2 infection is necessary but not sufficient for development of clinical COVID-19 disease. Currently, there are no approved pre- or post-exposure prophylactic COVID-19 medical countermeasures. Clinical data suggest that famotidine may mitigate COVID-19 disease, but both mechanism of action and rationale for dose selection remain obscure.

Previous reports have found that in-hospital famotidine use in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients was associated with reduced risk of death or intubation.1 , 2 In 1 of these studies the authors proposed that famotidine inhibits the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) protease, 3-chymotrypsin-like protease, that is essential for breakdown of the immature SARS-CoV-2 protein particles that contribute to the inflammatory response seen in some COVID-19–infected individuals,1 which in turn can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiorgan dysfunction, physiologic deterioration, and death.3 In a global pandemic with a lack of US Food and Drug Administration–approved targeted therapeutic agents, identification and repurposing of well-established drugs with a proven track record of safety, affordability, and widespread availability are necessary.4 The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reported protective effect of famotidine on mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Introduction: To compare outcomes in patients hospitalized with coronavirus (COVID-19) receiving famotidine therapy with those not receiving famotidine. Methods: Retrospective, propensity-matched observational study of consecutive COVID-19-positive patients between February 24, 2020, and May 13, 2020.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues unabated in many parts of the world. In the absence of any definite antiviral therapy except some benefit of remdesivir, there is an ongoing search for effective therapy. Famotidine has been shown to reduce mortality in hospitalized patients in a few studies. We conducted a systematic review on the use of famotidine in COVID-19.

Conclusions: The results of this case series suggest that high-dose oral famotidine is well tolerated and associated with improved patient-reported outcomes in non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19.

Daniel E Freedberg, Joseph Conigliaro, Timothy C Wang, Kevin J Tracey, Michael V Callahan, Julian A Abrams, Famotidine Research Group PMID: 32446698 PMCID: PMC7242191 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.05.053 AbstractNo abstract available. Keywords: Histamine H2 Antagonists, Famotidine Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32446698/ Archive: https://archive.is/wip/xU10m