Remdesivir in COVID-19: A Focus on Pediatric Cardiac Patients.

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has presented a significant global health challenge that necessitated the immediate search for various therapeutic modalities. Remdesivir, an antiviral drug inhibiting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), was among the most heavily used drugs against COVID-19. Of the several randomized controlled trials studying the efficacy of remdesivir, the vast majority were studied on the adult population. Results remain contradictory, with some studies supporting the high efficacy of remdesivir while others highlighting the lack of significance of its antiviral effects. Given the lack of focus on the pediatric population, the antiviral effects of remdesivir in cardiac pediatric patients, who are particularly vulnerable, remain especially under-investigated. This literature review explores current literature on remdesivir's mechanism of action and efficacy against COVID-19, especially in the pediatric cardiac population. Therefore, by combining results of studies from randomized controlled trials and retrospective studies in the adult and pediatric populations, this literature review underlines current knowledge gaps and highlights the need for studies targeting specific ages and comorbidities to effectively treat patients at higher risk of adverse events.