Use of tocilizumab in a patient with severe COVID-19 in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana: a case report.
Pan Afr Med J
; 37(Suppl 1): 30, 2020.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1033601
ABSTRACT
The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 has rapidly spread globally with significant negative impact on health. There is an urgent need for a drug or vaccine certified for treating and preventing COVID-19 respectively. Tocilizumab, an interleukin-6 monoclonal receptor antibody, has been used in some centers for mitigating the severe inflammatory response seen in patients with severe COVID-19 with encouraging results. To the best of our knowledge, reports detailing the outcomes of patients with severe COVID-19 undergoing treatment with tocilizumab are sparse in sub-Saharan Africa. We describe the clinical and laboratory profile, chest Computed Tomography (CT) scan findings and clinical outcome in a Ghanaian patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia treated with tocilizumab. A 54-year-old hypertensive male presented with fever, productive cough, pleuritic chest pain and breathlessness. He tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by polymerase chain reaction analysis done on a nasopharyngeal swab sample. His respiratory symptoms worsened while on admission despite receiving standard of care. His C-reactive protein (CRP) was elevated to 80.59mg/L and chest CT scan findings were indicative of severe COVID-19 pneumonia. He was treated with a single 400mg dose of intravenous tocilizumab with a positive clinical outcome, rapid decline in CRP and improvement in chest CT findings. Our experience shows that tocilizumab shows great promise as drug therapy for COVID-19 pneumonia.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
/
COVID-19 Drug Treatment
Type of study:
Case report
/
Diagnostic study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Vaccines
Limits:
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
English
Journal:
Pan Afr Med J
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Pamj.supp.2020.37.30.25851
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