Early experience with remdesivir in SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s15010-020-01448-x

This case report describes an early experience with remdesivir in four critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy. Patients received a 200 mg loading dose, followed by 100 mg daily intravenously for up to 10 days. All patients had been previously treated with other antivirals before remdesivir initiation. One patient experienced a torsade de pointes requiring cardiac resuscitation and one died due to multiple organ failure. Three patients showed biochemical signs of liver injury. Lymphocyte count increased in all patients soon after remdesivir initiation. Nasal swab SARS-CoV-2 RNA became negative in three of four patients after 3 days of therapy.  In vivo virological effect of remdesivir in four critically ill, COVID-19 patients was coupled with a significant burden of adverse events. Although limited by the low number of subjects studied, this preliminary experience may be relevant for clinicians treating COVID-19.

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