COVID-19 Evidence Reviews

Last updated: April 06, 2020

This catalog of COVID-19 evidence reviews is intended to capture the work of evidence synthesis groups in the US and around the world so that we can avoid duplicating efforts and maximize our collective contribution to this international crisis. This catalog is maintained by staff at the VA Evidence Synthesis Program based in Portland, Oregon. New reviews are identifed by ESP librarians searching LitCovid, MedRxiv, and the WHO COVID-19 database, with additional published reviews and reviews in progress identified by colleagues and content experts. For questions or comments, please email covid19reviews@gmail.com.

= Review meets minimum quality criteria as determined by ESP staff (peer-reviewed, describes systematic search and study selection, and includes critical appraisal of primary studies)

= ESP rapid review or rapid response

Virus Natural History, Transmission, and Diagnostics
No evidence reviews identified to date.
Epidemiological Studies
Clinical Characterization and Management
Potential Rapid Diagnostics, Vaccine and Therapeutics for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV): A Systematic Review

2/26/2020 | Pang J, Wang MX, Ang IYH, et al. | J Clin Med

Aim: To describe and assess the potential rapid diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics for 2019-nCoV, based in part on the developments for MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV

Prevalence of comorbidities in the novel Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

3/12/2020 | Yang J, Zheng Y, Gou X, et al. | Int J Infect Dis

Aim: To assess the prevalence of comorbidities in the COVID-19 infection patients and the risk of underlying diseases in severe patients compared to non-severe patients.

Clinical, laboratory and imaging features of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis

03/13/2020 | Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Cardona-Ospina JA, Gutiérrez-Ocampo E, et al. | Travel Med Infect Dis

Aim: To summarize the clinical, laboratory, and image features of COVID-19; to examine the outcome of COVID-19 cases, including risk factors, the proportion of patients requiring ICU and those with fatal outcomes; and to assess the prevalence of comorbidities among COVID-19 confirmed cases.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Systematic Review of Imaging Findings in 919 Patients

3/14/2020 | Salehi S, Abedi A, Balakrishnan S, Gholamrezanezhad A. | AJR Am J Roentgenol

Aim: To identify the CT characteristics of this life-threatening and rapidly spreading viral pneumonia, summarize key imaging findings in different stages of the disease, and define the evolution of CT findings associated with disease progression or clinical improvement. We also aim to investigate how CT findings correlate with patients’ age, severity of clinical symptoms, laboratory testing, and disease prognosis.

Coronavirus in pregnancy and delivery: rapid review

03/18/2020 | Mullins E, Evans D, Viner RM, et al. | Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol

Aim: To guide treatment and prevention in women affected by COVID-19 during pregnancy in the current outbreak.

COVID-19 and Smoking: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

03/20/2020 | Vardavas CI, Nikitara K | Tob Induc Dis

What is the assocation between smoking and COVID-19 outcomes including the severity of the disease, the need for mechanical ventilation, the need for intensive care unite (ICU) hosptialization, and death?

Systematic Review of COVID-19 in Children Show Milder Cases and a Better Prognosis than Adults

03/23/2020 | Ludvigsson JF | Acta Paediatr

What is the evidence on COVID-19 incidence and disease course in children?

COVID-19 Computed Tomography Findings: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

3/25/2020 | Bao C, Liu X, Zhang H, et al. | J Am Coll Radiol

Aim: To provide a more precise estimate of detection of COVID-19 by chest CT and report on the most common imaging findings on chest CT imaging.

Outcome of coronavirus spectrum infections (SARS, MERS, COVID-19) during pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

03/25/2020 | Di Mascio D, Khalil A, Saccone G, et al. | Am J Obstet Gynecol

Aim: To report pregnancy and preinatal outocmes of Coronavirus (CoV) spectrum infections, and particularly COVID-19 disease due to SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy.

Corticosteroid Therapy for COVID-19 Infection

3/27/2020 | Helfand M

Aim: To review the evidence for using corticosteroids to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome in pateints with COVID-19.

Prevalence, severity and mortality associated with COPD and smoking in patients with COVID-19: A rapid systematic review and meta-analysis

03/27/2020 | Alqahtani JS, Oyelade T, Aldhahir AM, et al. | medRXiv

Aim: To summarize the potential severity and mortality risks caused by COVID-19 in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Laboratory findings, signs and symptoms, clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19 infection: An updated systematic review and meta-Analysis

03/30/2020 | Mina E, Amal S, Fakher R | medRxiv

Aim: To collect laboratory findings, analyze them and report a specific pattern to help diagnose COVID-19 in patients.

Effects of hypertension, diabetes and coronary heart disease on COVID-19 diseases severity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

03/30/2020 | Chen Y, Gong X, Wang L, et al. | medRxiv

Question/Aim

Radiographic presentation of COVID-19: A systematic review

03/31/2020 | Bashir N | Lancet

Aim: To collate the available data documenting the radiographic features of COVID-19, and document their prevalence amongst the existing literature.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in pediatrics and the role of pediatricians: A systematic review

04/01/2020 | Seyedi SJ, Shojaeian R, Hiradfar M, et al. | Iran J Pediatr

Aim: To investigate different aspects of COVID-19 infection in pediatrics.

Clinical and paraclinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

04/01/2020 | Keyvan H, Sahar R, Amir S, et al. | medRxiv

Aim: To investigate the risk of incidence of different types of clinical findings and comorbidities in severe and non-severe patients.

S systematic review investigating the effectiveness of face mask use in limiting the spread of COVID-19 among medically not diagnosed individuals: shedding light on the current recommendations provided to individuals not medically diagnosed with COVID-19

04/01/2020 | Keshini M | medRxiv

Aim: To invesigate the availability of scientific evidence on the effectiveness of face mask use in limiting the spread of COVID-19 among individuals who are not medically diagnosed with COVID-19.

Infection Prevention and Control (including health care workers' protection)
Candidate Therapeutics R&D
Drug targets for corona virus: A systematic review.

Jan.-Feb. 2020 | Prajapat M, Sarma P, Shekhar N, et al. | Indian J Pharmacol

Aim: To describe protein structures that are potential targets for the development of CoV therapies

Potential interventions for novel coronavirus in China: A systematic review

02/14/2020 | Zhang L, Liu Y | J Med Virol

Aim: To summarize therapeutic options available for the treatment of COVID-19.

A systematic review on the efficacy and safety of chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19.

3/10/2020 | Cortegiani A, Ingoglia G, Ippolito M, et al. | J Crit Care

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of chloroquine and chloroquine-related formulations in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and articles describing related in-vitro studies.

Role of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in teh treatment of COVID-19 infection: A systematic literature review

03/30/2020 | Mohan KK, Aanandita K | medRxiv

Aim: To summarize the available evidence regarding the role of chloroquine in treating coronavirus infection.

Effectiveness and safety of antiviral or antibody treatments for coronavirus: A rapid review

02/25/2020 | Rios P, Radhakrishnan A, Antony J, et al. | Public Health Agency of Canada

Aim: To identify safe and effective medical countermeasures (e.g., antivirals/antibodies) to address the current outbreak of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Herbal medicine and pattern identification for treating COVID-19: A rapid review of guidelines

03/29/2020 | Lin A, Hye W, Jun Y, et al. | Integr Med Res

Aim: To summarize and analyze the herbal formulae provided by the guidelines for their pattern identification (PIs) and composition of herbs to treat patients with COVID-19.

Candidate Vaccines R&D
No evidence reviews identified to date.
Ethics Considerations for Research
No evidence reviews identified to date.
Social Sciences in the Outbreak Response
No evidence reviews identified to date.
Animal and Environmental Research on the Virus Origin, and Management Measures at the Human-Animal Interface