Background: In hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, progression to acute respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Severe dysregulated systemic inflammation is the putative mechanism. We hypothesize that early prolonged methylprednisolone (MP) treatment could accelerate disease resolution, decreasing the need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality. Methods: We conducted a multicenter observational study to explore the association between exposure to prolonged, low-dose MP treatment and need for ICU referral, intubation, or death within 28 days (composite primary end point) in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to Italian respiratory high-dependency units. Secondary outcomes were invasive MV-free days and changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Results: Findings are reported as MP (n = 83) vs control (n = 90). The composite primary end point was met by 19 vs 40 (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.41; 95% CI, 0.24-0.72). Transfer to ICU and invasive MV were necessary in 15 vs 27 (P = .07) and 14 vs 26 (P = .10), respectively. By day 28, the MP group had fewer deaths (6 vs 21; aHR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.12-0.73) and more days off invasive MV (24.0 ± 9.0 vs 17.5 ± 12.8; P = .001). Study treatment was associated with rapid improvement in PaO2:FiO2 and CRP levels. The complication rate was similar for the 2 groups (P = .84). Conclusion: In patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, early administration of prolonged MP treatment was associated with a significantly lower hazard of death (71%) and decreased ventilator dependence. Treatment was safe and did not impact viral clearance. A large randomized controlled trial (RECOVERY trial) has been performed that validates these findings

Prolonged low-dose methylprednisolone in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia / Salton F, Paola Confalonieri, G. Umberto Meduri, Pierachille Santus, Sergio Harari, Raffaele Scala, Simone Lanini, Valentina Vertui, Tiberio Oggionni, Antonella Caminati, Vincenzo Patruno, Mario Tamburrini, Alessandro Scartabellati, Mara Parati, Massimiliano Villani, Dejan Radovanovic, Sara Tomassetti, Claudia Ravaglia, Venerino Poletti, Andrea Vianello, Anna Talia Gaccione, Luca Guidelli, Rita Raccanelli, Paolo Lucernoni, Donato Lacedonia, Maria Pia Foschino Barbaro, Stefano Centanni, Michele Mondoni, Matteo Davì, Alberto Fantin, Xueyuan Cao, Lucio Torelli, Antonella Zucchetto, Marcella Montico, Annalisa Casarin, Micaela Romagnoli, Stefano Gasparini, Martina Bonifazi, Pierlanfranco D’Agaro, Alessandro Marcello, Danilo Licastro, Barbara Ruaro, Maria Concetta Volpe, Reba Umberger, Marco Confalonieri. - In: OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES. - ISSN 2328-8957. - ELETTRONICO. - 7:(2020), pp. 0-0. [10.1093/ofid/ofaa421]

Prolonged low-dose methylprednisolone in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia

Sara Tomassetti;Venerino Poletti;
2020

Abstract

Background: In hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia, progression to acute respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Severe dysregulated systemic inflammation is the putative mechanism. We hypothesize that early prolonged methylprednisolone (MP) treatment could accelerate disease resolution, decreasing the need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality. Methods: We conducted a multicenter observational study to explore the association between exposure to prolonged, low-dose MP treatment and need for ICU referral, intubation, or death within 28 days (composite primary end point) in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to Italian respiratory high-dependency units. Secondary outcomes were invasive MV-free days and changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Results: Findings are reported as MP (n = 83) vs control (n = 90). The composite primary end point was met by 19 vs 40 (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.41; 95% CI, 0.24-0.72). Transfer to ICU and invasive MV were necessary in 15 vs 27 (P = .07) and 14 vs 26 (P = .10), respectively. By day 28, the MP group had fewer deaths (6 vs 21; aHR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.12-0.73) and more days off invasive MV (24.0 ± 9.0 vs 17.5 ± 12.8; P = .001). Study treatment was associated with rapid improvement in PaO2:FiO2 and CRP levels. The complication rate was similar for the 2 groups (P = .84). Conclusion: In patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, early administration of prolonged MP treatment was associated with a significantly lower hazard of death (71%) and decreased ventilator dependence. Treatment was safe and did not impact viral clearance. A large randomized controlled trial (RECOVERY trial) has been performed that validates these findings
2020
7
0
0
Salton F, Paola Confalonieri, G. Umberto Meduri, Pierachille Santus, Sergio Harari, Raffaele Scala, Simone Lanini, Valentina Vertui, Tiberio Oggionni,...espandi
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
ofaa421.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Pdf editoriale (Version of record)
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 647.48 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
647.48 kB Adobe PDF

I documenti in FLORE sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1240703
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 96
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 64
social impact