Safety of Short-term Hydroxychloroquine Plus Azithromycin Treatment in Critically Ill Patients With Severe COVID-19

Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin have been proposed as treatment of COVID-19 patients, but few reports have assessed this combination therapy in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Many raised concerns regarding the potential cardiac toxicity of this association. The purpose of this monocenter retrospective observational study is to evaluate the safety of a short term treatment with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin in critically ill patients admitted in ICU for severe COVID-19 with respiratory failure. The main objective is to assess the incidence of severe cardiac arrhythmia e.g torsade de pointes and cardiac arrest or sudden death, during the treatment period.