(13 Nov 2020) Tocilizumab- beneficial in COVID-19 cytokine storm
Treatment with Tocilizumab for Patients with Covid-19 Infections: A Case-series Study
https://doi.org/10.1002/jcph.1787
This retrospective, observational study included 38 patients with an average age of 63 years (IQR: 48-70). The average dose of TCZ given was 519 +/- 61 mg. The median values of C-reactive protein (CRP) significantly decreased following TCZ administration (189.9 vs. 54.8 mg/L, p = 0.003). Nineteen (73 %) of all febrile patients before the initiation of TCZ became fever free on the fourth day of TCZ treatment. Following TCZ treatment, 11 patients developed infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria, and elevated liver transaminases were observed in 6 patients. The preliminary findings of this study suggested TCZ appeared to ameliorate COVID-19-related cytokine storm syndrome.