tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Med Virol
. 2020 Jun 2.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26111. Online ahead of print.
''Tociluzumab Challenge: A Series of Cytokine Storm Therapy Experience in Hospitalized Covid-19 Pneumonia Patients''
Betul Borku Uysal[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Hande Ikitimur[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Serap Yavuzer[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Barıs Ikitimur[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Harun Uysal[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Mehmet Sami Islamoglu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Erkan Ozcan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Emre Aktepe[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Hakan Yavuzer[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Mahir Cengiz[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Objective: To recognize the period of exaggerated cytokine response in patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, and to describe the clinical outcomes of using tocilizumab as a treatment option.
Methods: The data of 12 adult COVID-19 pneumonia patients who were followed in the inpatient clinics of Biruni University Medical Faculty Hospital (Istanbul, Turkey) were retrospectively analyzed. Diagnostic tests, laboratory examinations, clinical findings and computed tomography of the thorax imaging results were evaluated.
Results: A dramatic laboratory and clinical improvement was observed in 83% (10/12) of patients after tocilizumab. In 17% (2/12) of our patients, short-term ventilator support was required in the intensive care unit. The longest hospital stay was 18 days. However, in the end, all of our patients were discharged home with health. While arterial oxygen saturations (87.58?3.12%) dropped in room air in the pre-tocilizumab period, post-tocilizumab they normalized in all patients (94.42?1%). None of them had fever after tocilizumab treatment and the levels of c-reactive protein (13.08?12.89) were almost within normal limits. Eosinophil values were quite low at the time of diagnosis (10?17.06), but increased significantly post-tocilizumab (155.33?192.69).
Conclusion: There is currently no proven treatment for COVID-19 induced by novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Based on our experience with twelve adult COVID-19 pneumonia patients, we can say that tocilizumab, an IL-6 inhibitor, is more beneficial in preventing the damage caused by excessive cytokine response in the body if administered at the right time and provides clinical and radiological recovery. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS Cov-2; Tocilizumab; pneumonia.
. 2020 Jun 2.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.26111. Online ahead of print.
''Tociluzumab Challenge: A Series of Cytokine Storm Therapy Experience in Hospitalized Covid-19 Pneumonia Patients''
Betul Borku Uysal[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Hande Ikitimur[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Serap Yavuzer[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Barıs Ikitimur[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Harun Uysal[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Mehmet Sami Islamoglu[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Erkan Ozcan[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Emre Aktepe[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Hakan Yavuzer[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Mahir Cengiz[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32484930
- DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26111
Abstract
Objective: To recognize the period of exaggerated cytokine response in patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, and to describe the clinical outcomes of using tocilizumab as a treatment option.
Methods: The data of 12 adult COVID-19 pneumonia patients who were followed in the inpatient clinics of Biruni University Medical Faculty Hospital (Istanbul, Turkey) were retrospectively analyzed. Diagnostic tests, laboratory examinations, clinical findings and computed tomography of the thorax imaging results were evaluated.
Results: A dramatic laboratory and clinical improvement was observed in 83% (10/12) of patients after tocilizumab. In 17% (2/12) of our patients, short-term ventilator support was required in the intensive care unit. The longest hospital stay was 18 days. However, in the end, all of our patients were discharged home with health. While arterial oxygen saturations (87.58?3.12%) dropped in room air in the pre-tocilizumab period, post-tocilizumab they normalized in all patients (94.42?1%). None of them had fever after tocilizumab treatment and the levels of c-reactive protein (13.08?12.89) were almost within normal limits. Eosinophil values were quite low at the time of diagnosis (10?17.06), but increased significantly post-tocilizumab (155.33?192.69).
Conclusion: There is currently no proven treatment for COVID-19 induced by novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Based on our experience with twelve adult COVID-19 pneumonia patients, we can say that tocilizumab, an IL-6 inhibitor, is more beneficial in preventing the damage caused by excessive cytokine response in the body if administered at the right time and provides clinical and radiological recovery. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS Cov-2; Tocilizumab; pneumonia.