A pilot double‐blind safety and feasibility randomized controlled trial of high‐dose intravenous zinc in hospitalized COVID‐19 patients
Open Access
- 25 February 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of Medical Virology
- Vol. 93 (5), 3261-3267
- https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.26895
Abstract
Zinc inhibits replication of the SARS‐CoV virus. We aimed to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and biological effect of administering high‐dose intravenous zinc (HDIVZn) to patients with COVID‐19. We performed a Phase IIa double‐blind, randomized controlled trial to compare HDIVZn to placebo in hospitalized patients with COVID‐19. We administered trial treatment per day for a maximum of 7 days until either death or hospital discharge. We measured zinc concentration at baseline and during treatment and observed patients for any significant side effects. For eligible patients, we randomized and administered treatment to 33 adult participants to either HDIVZn (n = 15) or placebo (n = 18). We observed no serious adverse events throughout the study for a total of 94 HDIVZn administrations. However, three participants in the HDIVZn group reported infusion site irritation. Mean serum zinc on Day 1 in the placebo, and the HDIVZn group was 6.9 ± 1.1 and 7.7 ± 1.6 µmol/l, respectively, consistent with zinc deficiency. HDIVZn, but not placebo, increased serum zinc levels above the deficiency cutoff of 10.7 µmol/l (p < .001) on Day 6. Our study did not reach its target enrollment because stringent public health measures markedly reduced patient hospitalizations. Hospitalized COVID‐19 patients demonstrated zinc deficiency. This can be corrected with HDIVZn. Such treatment appears safe, feasible, and only associated with minimal peripheral infusion site irritation. This pilot study justifies further investigation of this treatment in COVID‐19 patients.Keywords
This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- Zinc status of northern Tasmanian adultsJournal of Nutritional Science, 2015
- Decreased serum zinc is an effect of ageing and not Alzheimer's diseaseMetallomics, 2014
- Zn2+ Inhibits Coronavirus and Arterivirus RNA Polymerase Activity In Vitro and Zinc Ionophores Block the Replication of These Viruses in Cell CulturePLoS Pathogens, 2010
- Zinc bioavailability and homeostasisThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010
- PDTC inhibits picornavirus polyprotein processing and RNA replication by transporting zinc ions into cellsJournal of General Virology, 2007
- Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate Reduces Coxsackievirus B3 Replication through Inhibition of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome PathwayJournal of Virology, 2005
- Recurrent herpes labialis: a pilot study of the efficacy of zinc therapyJournal of Oral Pathology & Medicine, 2005
- Effect of Zinc Salts on Respiratory Syncytial Virus ReplicationAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2004
- Poliovirus RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase (3Dpol)Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 1999
- Zinc ions inhibit replication of rhinovirusesNature, 1974