When the coronavirus behind COVID-19 appeared last year, experts were not exactly prepared. The virus spread quickly from person to person with no real treatment available because the virus was very new – and these infections have resulted in millions of deaths. Researchers at the University of Oxford created the COVID-19 Therapy Randomized Assessment (RECOVERY) trial in March 2020 to study and identify possible treatments for COVID. In a new study from the trial, the researchers concluded that a drug already used to treat a common health condition may actually help prevent the death of people infected with the coronavirus. Read on to find out which drug can save the lives of patients with COVID, and for more medical interventions, this over-the-counter drug can kill COVID, the study says.
Oxford University researchers randomly assigned more than 2,000 COVID patients to receive tocilizumab, a drug designed to treat people with rheumatoid arthritis and known under the brand Actemra. Based on the results, published on February 11, the researchers found that tocilizumab may reduce the risk of death in hospitalized patients with severe COVID. While 33 percent of patients not treated with this drug died, only 29 percent of those who received tocilizumab ended up dying. “This means that for every 25 patients treated with tocilizumab, an additional life would be saved,” the researchers noted. And to learn more about the risk of coronavirus, if you have done so, you are twice as likely to develop severe COVID.
Taking this medication may also help someone with severe COVID to leave the hospital earlier, the researchers found. According to the study, tocilizumab increased the likelihood of discharge from hospital in 28 days from 47 percent to 54 percent. And as for patients who were not yet using a ventilator before the study, this drug reduced the chances of patients needing a ventilator from 38 percent to 33 percent.
“Previous studies with tocilizumab have shown mixed results and it was not clear which patients could benefit from treatment. Now we know that the benefits of tocilizumab extend to all COVID patients with low oxygen levels and significant inflammation.” Peter Horby, MD, professor of emerging infectious diseases and deputy chief researcher at RECOVERY, said in a statement. And for the most up-to-date information, subscribe to our daily newsletter.
In June 2020, researchers in this study found that dexamethasone, a steroid similar to cortisone that relieves inflammation, also reduces the death of patients with severe COVID. The researchers noted that 82 percent of patients in their new study for tocilizumab were also taking a systemic steroid such as dexamethasone. This type of steroid has become a “standard of care” given to hospitalized patients with severe COVID, the researchers noted. Based on their findings, the “benefits of tocilizumab have been clearly seen in Addition for those on steroid. “
“The results of the RECOVERY study clearly show the benefits of tocilizumab and dexamethasone in combating the worst consequences of COVID-19 – improving survival, shortening hospital stays and reducing the need for mechanical ventilators,” Martin Landray, PhD, professor of medicine and epidemiology and deputy chief investigator, said in a statement. “Used in combination, the impact is substantial.” And for more ways to stay healthy, these 3 vitamins can save you from severe COVID, study finds.
Although this study comes from the United Kingdom, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may, at some point, consider this treatment for use in this country. To date, the FDA has approved a drug, Remdesivir, to treat COVID and has authorized several treatments with monoclonal antibodies for emergency use. Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine were previously authorized for emergency use, but were revoked in June, after new data showed that they had no benefit in reducing the likelihood of death from COVID. And for more essential FDA guidance, if you see this in the mask, the FDA says throw it right away.