Recent trials involving steroids and other immunomodulators have shown benefits and contributed to improved care.

Given the emerging nature of the virus, several repurposed agents were also considered as potential antiviral agents for COVID-19. Lopinavir-ritonavir and hydroxychloroquine were proposed based on data from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and middle east respiratory syndrome (MERS) treatments.

The Randomised, Embedded, Multifactorial Adaptive Platform (REMAP‑CAP) trial is the largest randomised clinical trial (RCT) in critically ill patients with COVID‑19 to report the effects of lopinavir‑ritonavir, hydroxychloroquine and combination therapy of lopinavir‑ritonavir and hydroxychloroquine compared with no antiviral therapy.

The main aim was to see whether these medications would improve organ support free days in critically-ill patients with COVID-19.

Inclusion criteria were set as per prior REMAP-CAP trial standards of patients who were ≥ 18 years old with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and receiving respiratory or cardiovascular organ support within critical care areas.

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