The efficacy of oral ribavirin on clinical and laboratory parameters in Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever: an observational study from Turkey

Background/aim: In this observational study, the effects of oral ribavirin on clinical and laboratory parameters and blood products use in patients with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) were evaluated. Materials and methods: CCHF patients (n = 100) who were hospitalized between 2007 and 2010 were included. Oral ribavirin was administered to 56 patients with symptom duration less than 5 days. Forty-four patients did not receive ribavirin (control group). The patients that received ribavirin in the first 3 days following the initiation of symptoms were designated as Group 1 (n = 29) and the others were designated as Group 2. Results: Ribavirin-treated and untreated groups were similar in terms of demographic and most clinical characteristics. Leukocyte and platelet counts were lower in the ribavirin group than in the control group, but values of prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine phosphokinase, and lactate dehydrogenase were higher (P = 0.011, P = 0.015, P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.021, P = 0.019, P = 0.004, respectively). Platelet concentrates use was greater in the ribavirin group (P = 0.01). Conclusion: No positive effects of oral ribavirin on blood products use or clinical or laboratory parameters of CCHF patients were observed. Moreover, no difference was shown between early and late initiation of ribavirin.