The Use of folic acid as a prophylaxis against COVID-19 among healthcare workers
Farag, A., Ouda, N., Dwedar, R., Bilal, D., Said, A., Elbarmelgi, M., Al Shafie, A., Talaat, H., Elkholy, Y. (2023). The Use of folic acid as a prophylaxis against COVID-19 among healthcare workers. EKB Journal Management System, 4(1), 56-62. doi: 10.21608/mid.2022.170328.1405
Ahmed Farag; Nadia Hafez Ouda; Reham A Dwedar; Dalia Bilal; Aml Said; Mohamed Yehia Elbarmelgi; Ahmad Al Shafie; Hala S. Talaat; Yasmine Elkholy. "The Use of folic acid as a prophylaxis against COVID-19 among healthcare workers". EKB Journal Management System, 4, 1, 2023, 56-62. doi: 10.21608/mid.2022.170328.1405
Farag, A., Ouda, N., Dwedar, R., Bilal, D., Said, A., Elbarmelgi, M., Al Shafie, A., Talaat, H., Elkholy, Y. (2023). 'The Use of folic acid as a prophylaxis against COVID-19 among healthcare workers', EKB Journal Management System, 4(1), pp. 56-62. doi: 10.21608/mid.2022.170328.1405
Farag, A., Ouda, N., Dwedar, R., Bilal, D., Said, A., Elbarmelgi, M., Al Shafie, A., Talaat, H., Elkholy, Y. The Use of folic acid as a prophylaxis against COVID-19 among healthcare workers. EKB Journal Management System, 2023; 4(1): 56-62. doi: 10.21608/mid.2022.170328.1405

The Use of folic acid as a prophylaxis against COVID-19 among healthcare workers

Microbes and Infectious Diseases
Article 9, Volume 4, Issue 1, February 2023, Page 56-62  XML PDF (373.91 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/mid.2022.170328.1405
View on SCiNiTO View on SCiNiTO
Authors
Ahmed Farag1; Nadia Hafez Ouda2; Reham A Dwedar2; Dalia Bilal3; Aml Said4; Mohamed Yehia Elbarmelgi1; Ahmad Al Shafie5; Hala S. Talaat6; Yasmine Elkholy email orcid 2
1General Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University
2Medical Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University
3Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Biostatistics, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University
4Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University
5Department of Endemic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University
6Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University
Abstract
Background: Vaccines may be thought of as a reliable intervention to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Prophylactic drugs may be a sound alternative. We aimed to assess the use of folic acid to protect against COVID-19 infection. Methods: This randomized controlled study was conducted in an isolation hospital at Cairo University Hospitals on three groups of nurses caring for COVID-19 patients: group I; the control group, group II whose participants received 500 micrograms of folic acid daily, and group III whose participants received 1000 micrograms daily. PCR conversion was tested for the three groups as a primary endpoint. Results: In total, 526 nurse were included. Group I comprised 139 nurse, group II comprised 163 nurse, and group III comprised 224 nurses. The rates of PCR conversion from negative to positive were 4.9% (8/163) in group II and 1.8% in group III (4/224) compared with 14.4% in the control group I (20/139). Statistically significant (p < /em><0.005) and highly statistically significant (p < /em><0.001) differences respectively were found. Conclusions: Prescribing folic acid daily may significantly decrease the risk of COVID-19 infection among exposed healthcare workers.
Keywords
COVID-19; Folic Acid; Prophylaxis; Healthcare workers
Statistics
Article View: 399
PDF Download: 224