Patients
Between December 2017 and December 2020, 180 patients from four different centers were randomly assigned (59 in group A, 61 in group B, and 60 in group C) and followed up until February 2021. Nine patients discontinued treatment early during the COVID-19 lockdown. Of the 180 patients, 36 (20%) had missing primary-outcome data. Therefore, the baseline characteristics and primary-outcome analysis were based on the intention-to-treat set, which included 180 patients, while the pre-protocol analysis population included 144 patients (46 in group A, 51 in group B, and 47 in group C) (Flow chart for the study population.