Effect of Corticosteroid Therapy on the Duration of SARS-CoV-2 Clearance in Patients with Mild COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40121-020-00337-y

Of 82 patients with a mild infection, 40 patients were male (48.8%), with a median age of 49 years (interquartile range, IQR 36-61). Among those patients, 36 patients (43.9%) received corticosteroid therapy. The adjusted multivariate models showed that the effects of corticosteroids were non-significant on the durations of onset to first RNA clearance [beta 2.48, 95% CI (95% confidence interval) – 0.42 to 5.38, P = 0.0926] and to persistent RNA clearance (beta 1.54, 95% CI – 1.41 to 4.48, P = 0.3016), and durations of therapy to first RNA clearance (beta 2.16, 95% CI – 0.56 to 4.89, P = 0.1184) and to persistent RNA clearance (beta 1.22, 95% CI – 1.52 to 3.95, P = 0.3787). Corticosteroid therapy in patients with mild COVID-19 was not associated with the duration of SARS-CoV-2 clearance, suggesting that the use of corticosteroids may not be beneficial for patients with mild COVID-19 and should be prudently recommended in clinical practice. 

Tags: