Thalidomide combined with short-term low-dose glucocorticoid therapy for the treatment of severe COVID-19: A case-series study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The aim was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of thalidomide, an immunomodulatory agent, in combination with glucocorticoid, for the treatment of COVID-19 patients with life-threatening symptoms.

Methods

A nonrandomized comparative case series study was performed. Six patients received thalidomide 100 mg per day (with therapy lasting for ≥7 days) plus low-dose short-term dexamethasone, and 6 control patients matched with patients in the thalidomide group, received low-dose short-term treatment with dexamethasone alone. The main outcomes were: the duration of SARS-CoV-2 negative conversion from admission; length of hospital stay; and changes in inflammatory cytokine concentrations and lymphocyte subsets.

Results

The median thalidomide treatment time w

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7834521 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature