Efficacy of interferon alpha for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: IFN-α intervention may block SARS-CoV-2 replication and normalize the deregulated innate immunity of COVID-19. AIM: This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the efficacy of interferon IFN-α–containing regimens when treating patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS: PubMed, SCOPUS, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception to 15 January 2022. A systematic literature search was conducted by applying relevant terms for ‘COVID-19’ and ‘interferon-α’. The primary outcome enclosed the all-cause hospital mortality. The secondary outcomes constituted the length of hospital stay; hospital discharge; nucleic acid negative conversion. RESULTS: Eleven studies are enclosed in the meta-analysis. No significant difference in the all-cause mortality rate was found between the study and control groups (OR 0.2; 95% CI 0.05-1.2; I(2) = 96%). The implementation of interferon did not influence such outcomes as the length of hospital stay (OR 0.9; 95% CІ, 0.3-2.6; I(2 =) 91%), nucleic acid negative conversion (OR 0.8; 95% CI, 0.04-17.2; I(2 =) 94%). Nevertheless, IFN-α treatment resulted in a higher number of patients discharged from the hospital (OR 26.6; 95% CІ, 2.7-254.3; I(2) = 95%). CONCLUSIONS: Thus, IFN-α does not benefit the survival of hospitalized COVID-19 patients but may increase the number of patients discharged from the hospital. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier (CRD42022374589).