Mortality is 12% lower for COVID-19 patients treated with tocilizumab

Objectives:
Does tocilizumab decrease mortality risk among COVID-19 patients?

Study design:
This review article included 10 studies (all on tocilizumab) comprising 1,358 COVID-19 patients.
9 out of 10 studies were considered to be of high quality.

Results and conclusions:   
The investigators found meta-analysis showed that the tocilizumab group had an 73% lower mortality risk than the control group [risk ratio = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.12 to 0.59] and the risk difference (RD) was 12% [95% CI = 4.6% to 20%] in favour of the tocilizumab group.

The investigators concluded that mortality is 12% lower for COVID-19 patients treated with tocilizumab compared to COVID-19 patients who have not been treated with tocilizumab. The number needed to treat is 11, suggesting that for every 11 (severe) COVID-19 patients treated with tocilizumab 1 death is prevented. These results require confirmation by randomized controlled trials.

Original title:
Decreased mortality in COVID-19 patients treated with Tocilizumab: a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies by Malgie J, Schoones JW and Pijls BG.

Link:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32964913/

Additional information of El Mondo:
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