Tocilizumab for treatment of patients with severe COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tocilizumab was approved for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy induced cytokine release syndrome and it may provide clinical benefit for selected COVID-19 patients.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed hypoxic COVID-19 patients who were consecutively admitted between March 13, 2020 and April 19, 2020. Patients with lung infiltrates and elevated inflammatory markers received a single dose of tocilizumab if no contraindication was present. Systemic steroid, hydroxychloroquine, and azithromycin were concomitantly used for majority of the patients.

Findings

Of the 51 patients included for analysis, 28 (55%) received tocilizumab and 23 (45%) did not receive tocilizumab. Tocilizumab cohort required more invasive ventilation (68% vs. 22%)

SUBMITTER: Kewan T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7305505 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature