Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Brazil , Health Personnel , Humans , India/epidemiology , Reinfection , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cytokine storm triggered by Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with high mortality. With high Interleukin -6 (IL-6) levels reported in COVID-19 related deaths in China, IL-6 is considered to be the key player in COVID-19 cytokine storm. Tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody against IL-6 receptor, is used on compassionate grounds for treatment of COVID-19 cytokine storm. The aim of this study was to assess effect of tocilizumab on mortality due to COVID-19 cytokine storm. METHOD: This retrospective, observational study included patients of severe COVID-19 pneumonia with persistent hypoxia (defined as saturation 94% or less on supplemental Oxygen of 15 L per minute through non-rebreathing mask or PaO2/FiO2 ratio of less than 200) who were admitted to a tertiary care center in Mumbai, India, between 31st March to 5th July 2020. In addition to standard care, single Inj. Tocilizumab 400 mg was given intravenously to 151 consecutive COVID-19 patients with persistent hypoxia, from 13th May to 5th July 2020. These 151 patients were retrospectively analysed and compared with historic controls, ie consecutive COVID-19 patients with persistent hypoxia, defined as stated above (N = 118, from our first COVID-19 admission on 31st March to 12th May 2020 i.e., till tocilizumab was available in hospital). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed for identifying predictors of survival. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 26. RESULTS: Out of 269 (151 in tocilizumab group and 118 historic controls) patients studied from 31st March to 5th July 2020, median survival in the tocilizumab group was significantly longer than in the control group; 18 days (95% CI, 11.3 to 24.7) versus 9 days (95% CI, 5.7 to 12.3); log rank p 0.007. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, independent predictors of survival were use of tocilizumab (HR 0.621, 95% CI 0.427-0.903, P 0.013) and higher oxygen saturation. CONCLUSION: Tocilizumab may improve survival in severe COVID-19 pneumonia with persistent hypoxia. Randomised controlled trials on use of tocilizumab as rescue therapy in patients of severe COVID-19 pneumonia with hypoxia (PaO2/FiO2 less than 200) due to hyperinflammatory state, are warranted.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/administration & dosage , COVID-19 , Cytokine Release Syndrome , Hypoxia , Interleukin-6/antagonists & inhibitors , Pneumonia, Viral , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/physiopathology , COVID-19/therapy , Compassionate Use Trials/statistics & numerical data , Cytokine Release Syndrome/etiology , Cytokine Release Syndrome/immunology , Cytokine Release Syndrome/therapy , Female , Humans , Hypoxia/etiology , Hypoxia/therapy , India/epidemiology , Interleukin-6/immunology , Male , Middle Aged , Pneumonia, Viral/blood , Pneumonia, Viral/etiology , Pneumonia, Viral/mortality , Pneumonia, Viral/therapy , Respiration, Artificial/methods , Retrospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , Severity of Illness Index , Survival Analysis , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Viruses have been shown to modify the clinical picture of several autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Viral infections have also been considered as a possible trigger for autoimmune disorders like myositis through myositis specific antibodies. Dermatomyositis is an acquired inflammatory myopathy which is relatively rare with incidence of 9.3 per 1 million persons. Usually we come across 1-2 patients of dermatomyositis per year, amongst 800-1000 new patients in our tertiary care rheumatology services. A surge in the incidence was noted this year during the months of April-August of 2020, the period coinciding with the occurrence of corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic in the city of Mumbai, the total number of cases encountered being five in a span of six months. The following case series includes five such cases with review of available literature on virus-triggered autoimmunity with special reference to SARS-CoV-2 and the challenges of immunosuppression during this pandemic.