Tocilizumab for treatment of mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Severe COVID-19 can manifest in rapid decompensation and respiratory failure with elevated inflammatory markers. This presentation is consistent with cytokine release syndrome in chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy, for which IL-6 blockade is approved treatment.

Methods

We assessed effectiveness and safety of IL-6 blockade with tocilizumab in a single-center cohort of patients with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation. The primary endpoint was survival probability post-intubation; secondary analyses included an ordinal illness severity scale integrating superinfections. Outcomes in patients who received tocilizumab compared to tocilizumab-untreated controls were evaluated using multivariable Cox regression with propensity score inverse probability weight

SUBMITTER: Somers EC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7302290 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature