Tocilizumab for patients with severe COVID-19: a retrospective, multi-center study.
Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther
; 19(1): 93-100, 2021 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1066154
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Tocilizumab, an inhibitor of the interleukin-6 receptor, may decrease the inflammatory response and control the symptoms of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the evidence is scarce.METHODS:
This retrospective study included patients with severe COVID-19 requiring oxygen therapy who received tocilizumab in seven centers across Poland. We assessed on-treatment changes in clinical status and inflammatory markers.RESULTS:
Twenty-eight patients were included (19 male), with a mean age of 61.7 ± 12.4 years. The mean time from symptom onset to the first tocilizumab dose was 10.5 ± 5.7 days. Clinical status improved within 24 hours in 11 (39%) patients, within one week in 23 (82%) patients, and within two weeks in 25 (89%); one (4%) patient showed no change and two (7%) patients died. Sixteen patients (57%) no longer needed oxygen therapy within a week (p < 0.001). The serum concentrations of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and fibrinogen decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.001). Lung changes improved in 21 (84%) patients within two weeks of treatment; 19 had minimal or no changes upon final examination.CONCLUSIONS:
Tocilizumab can control the symptoms of severe COVID-19 by reducing the inflammatory response and rapidly improves the clinical status in most patients.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19 Drug Treatment
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
/
Vaccines
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
English
Journal:
Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
14787210.2020.1800453
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