Colchicine in COVID-19 —The Colcorona Trial

Abstract

Colcorona was a multicenter, international study promoted by the Montreal Heart Institute, Canada, whose main objective was to test the effects of colchicine in non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 [1]. So far, the majority of studies addressed hospitalized patients which is understandable since mortality occurs mainly among those individuals. The Colcorona, however, focused specifically in non-hospitalized patients because preventing hospitalization and death are important therapeutic targets. Inclusion criteria were age ≥ 40 years, one or more risk factors, including arterial hypertension, heart failure, diabetes, coronary disease, fever, age ≥ 70 years or obesity. Diagnosis was based on positive PCR from nasal swab. Given restriction in PCR swab at beginning of the pandemic, a minority of patients were enrolled based on clinical criteria. The initial intention was to enroll 6,000 patients in a randomized, double-blind approach, comparing colchicine – 0.5 mg twice daily for the initial 3 days, followed by 0.5 mg daily for the following 27 days vs. a placebo. However, the study was terminated with 75% of enrollment for logistical reasons; thus 4,488 patients were included of whom 2,235 received colchicine and 2,253 the placebo [1].