Thomas et al., JAMA Network Open,
doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.0369 (Peer Reviewed)
Effect of High-Dose Zinc and Ascorbic Acid Supplementation vs Usual Care on Symptom Length and Reduction Among Ambulatory Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Infection: The COVID A to Z Randomized Clinical Trial
Small 214 low-risk outpatient RCT showing non-statistically significant faster recovery with zinc and with vitamin C.
NCT04342728.
A secondary analysis concludes that vitamin C increases recovery rate by 71% (
p = 0.036) [1]. See also [2].
Thomas et al., 2/12/2021, Randomized Controlled Trial, USA, North America, peer-reviewed, 11 authors.
recovery time, 17.9% lower, relative time 0.82, p = 0.38, treatment 48, control 50, mean time to a 50% reduction in symptoms, p value approximated with combined p value in study.
Effect extraction follows
pre-specified rules
prioritizing more serious outcomes. For an individual study the most serious
outcome may have a smaller number of events and lower statistical signficance,
however this provides the strongest evidence for the most serious outcomes
when combining the results of many trials.