Tocilizumab reduces deaths in patients hospitalised with COVID-19

Coronavirus, England, Europe, Health, Infection, Science, Treatment, UK

The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) has demonstrated that an anti-inflammatory treatment, tocilizumab, reduces the risk of death when given to hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19. The study also showed that tocilizumab shortens the time until patients are successfully discharged from hospital and reduces the need for a mechanical ventilator.

A total of 2022 patients were randomly allocated to receive tocilizumab by intravenous infusion and were compared with 2094 patients randomly allocated to usual care alone. 82% of patients were taking a systemic steroid such as dexamethasone.

Treatment with tocilizumab significantly reduced deaths: 596 (29%) of the patients in the tocilizumab group died within 28 days compared with 694 (33%) patients in the usual care group (rate ratio 0·86; [95% confidence interval [CI] 0·77 to 0·96]; p=0·007), an absolute difference of 4%.

Recoverytrial.net report

 

Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

 

** This post was originally published on February 11, 2021 **