Background: The uptake of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (NPR) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been limited by concerns around the rebound phenomenon despite the scarcity of evidence around its epidemiology. The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare the epidemiology of rebound in NPR-treated and untreated participants with acute COVID-19 infection.
Methods: We designed a prospective, observational study in which participants who tested positive for COVID-19 and were clinically eligible for NPR were recruited to be evaluated for either viral or symptom clearance and rebound. Participants were assigned to the treatment or control group based on their decision to take NPR. Following initial diagnosis, both groups were provided 12 rapid antigen tests and asked to test on a regular schedule for 16 days and answer symptom surveys. Viral rebound based on test results and COVID-19 symptom rebound based on patient-reported symptoms were evaluated.
Results: Viral rebound incidence was 14.2% in the NPR treatment group (n = 127) and 9.3% in the control group (n = 43). Symptom rebound incidence was higher in the treatment group (18.9%) compared to controls (7.0%). There were no notable differences in viral rebound by age, gender, preexisting conditions, or major symptom groups during the acute phase or at the 1-month interval.
Conclusions: This preliminary report suggests that rebound after clearance of test positivity or symptom resolution is higher than previously reported. However, notably we observed a similar rate of rebound in both the NPR treatment and control groups. Large studies with diverse participants and extended follow-up are needed to better understand the rebound phenomena.
Keywords: COVID-19; COVID-19 rebound; nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir; symptom rebound; viral rebound.
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