PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A newly released report from French researchers found hydroxychloroquine — the controversial medication that surfaced in the early days of the pandemic — may actually be beneficial for lupus patients.
The study focused on more than 50,000 people who have lupus. People with lupus are at greater risk for heart disease, believed to be due to increased inflammation. The study found hydroxychloroquine helps control that process and helps protect the endothelial lining of blood vessels, which acts as a barrier between blood and body tissue in these patients.
If hydroxychloroquine sounds familiar, it was recommended by some as a treatment for COVID-19 and was approved for emergency use in the spring of 2020.
The medication did not prevent deaths in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and was ultimately replaced by more effective treatments. However, it appears to be helpful in lupus and continues to be studied in other conditions.
Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough.
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