EFFECT OF THE POVIDONE IODINE, HYPERTONIC ALKALINE SOLUTION AND SALINE
NASAL LAVAGE ON NASOPHARYNGEAL VIRAL LOAD IN COVID-19
Abstract
Objective: The causative virus of COVID-19 is SARS-CoV-2. The aim of the
present study was to invastigate the in vivo virucidal activity of nasal
irrigation with saline, nasal irrigation with Povidone-iodine (PVP-I)
1%, nasal irrigation with hypertonic alkaline and nasal irrigation with
PVP-I 1% against SARS CoV- 2. Design: The present study was a
prospective randomized clinical trial. Setting: A multicenter study
involving tertiary care centers. Participants: The study included adult
outpatients whose qualitative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR tests in nasopharyngeal
swabs were positive. One hundred twenty patients divided into four equal
groups. Standard COVID-19 treatment was given to group 1 (n=30), nasal
irrigation containing isotonic solution was added to patients’ treatment
in group 2 (n=30), nasal irrigation containing 1% PVP solution was
added to patients’ treatment in group 3(n=30), and nasal irrigation
containing 1% PVP solution and nasal irrigation containing hypertonic
alkaline solution was added to patients’ treatment in group 4 (n=30).
Main outcome measures: On the first day of diagnosis (day 0),
nasopharyngeal swab samples were taken, on the 3rd and 5th days the
nasopharyngeal viral load reduction in quantitative RT-PCR tests were
calculated. Results: Between the 0-3rd Day and 0-5th days, the
nasopharyngeal viral load reduction was significant in all groups
(p< .05). In paired comparisons of groups, the nasopharyngeal
viral load decrease in group 4 in first 3 days was significantly lower
than all groups (p < .05). The nasopharyngeal viral load
degrease in groups 3 and 4 in the first 5 days were significantly lower
than group 1 (p < .05). Conclussion: This study was reveal
that the use of hypertonic alkaline nasal irrigation together with 1%
povidone-iodine was more effective in reducing viral load in the early
period. The decreased nasopharyngeal viral load may reduce the carriage
of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in patients. Our results suggest that 1%
povidone-iodine and hypertonic alkaline nasal irrigation may be
promising modality to prevent the COVID-19 epidemic.