Early Tocilizumab Dosing Is Associated With Improved Survival in Critically Ill Patients Infected With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2

https://doi.org/10.1097/CCE.0000000000000395

Eighty-one patients received tocilizumab, and 37 were untreated and served as a control group. Measurements and Main Results: The main outcome was mortality and was analyzed by timing of tocilizumab dosing. Early dosing was defined as a tocilizumab dose administered prior to or within 1 day of intubation. Late dosing was defined as a dose administered greater than 1 day after intubation. A control group that was treated only with standard of care, and without tocilizumab, was used for comparison. Early tocilizumab therapy was associated with a statistically significant decrease in mortality as compared to patients who were untreated (p = 0.003). Dosing tocilizumab late was associated with an increased mortality compared with the untreated group (p = 0.006).  Early tocilizumab administration was associated with decreased mortality in critically ill severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 patients, but a potential detriment was suggested by dosing later in a patient’s course.

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