The American Thoracic Society has released interim guidance on treating novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while cautioning that the available data used to guide the recommendations are limited.
For hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and pneumonia, the group says that hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine may be used on a case-by-case basis, but clinicians must discuss potential risks and benefits of treatment, data must be collected on outcomes, the patient's condition must be severe, and the drug cannot be in short supply.
For outpatients with COVID-19 or hospitalized patients without pneumonia, the group made no recommendation for or against use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine. The group also declined to take a position for or against other potential drugs at this time.
They did suggest use of prone ventilation for patients with refractory hypoxemia related to progressive COVID-19pneumonia, and then extracorporeal membraneoxygenation(ECMO) if prone ventilation fails.
