Nutritional Advice El Mondo
Objectives:
Does IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab (TCZ) reduce mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients?
Study design:
This review article included 8 RCTs, assessing 6,481 patients with mostly severe non-critical COVID-19 infection.
Results and conclusions:
The investigators found treatment with IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab (TCZ) was significantly associated with a reduction of 11% in all-cause 28-30-day mortality compared to placebo/control [RR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.82 to 0.96].
Significantly because RR of 1 was not found in the 95% CI of 0.82 to 0.96. RR of 1 means no risk/association.
The investigators found among the subgroup of critically ill patients no reduced mortality was demonstrated [RR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.74 to 1.19].
No association because RR of 1 was found in the 95% CI of 0.74 to 1.19. RR of 1 means no risk/association.
The investigators found no mortality benefit for IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab (TCZ) was demonstrated in trials that used steroids for >80% of patients.
The investigators found treatment with IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab (TCZ) was associated with significantly reduced risk for mechanical ventilation (MV), for combined endpoint of death or MV and for intensive care unit (ICU) admission.
The investigators found no significant difference in adverse events.
The investigators found risk of serious superinfection was significantly lower for treatment with IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab (TCZ) [RR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.35 to 0.93].
The investigators concluded that treatment with IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab reduces 28-30 days all-cause mortality, intensive care unit admission, superinfections, mechanical ventilation and the combined endpoint of death or mechanical ventilation in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Among critically ill patients and when steroids are used for most patients, no mortality benefit is found. Additional research should further define sub-groups that would benefit most and preferred timing of administration of IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab in severe COVID-19.
Original title:
Tocilizumab in the treatment of COVID-19 - a meta-analysis by Avni T, Leibovici L, […], Yahav D.
Link:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34010403/
Additional information of El Mondo:
Find more information/studies on coronavirus right here.