Don't close the book on tocilizumab for the treatment of severe COVID-19 pneumonia - the jury is still out. The Kuwait experience

Al-Shamali, Yousef and Ali, Yaser M. and Al-Shamali, Rawan A. and Al-Melahi, Maryam and Al-Shammari, Farah R. and Alsaber, Ahmad and Al-Adsani, Wasl (2021) Don't close the book on tocilizumab for the treatment of severe COVID-19 pneumonia - the jury is still out. The Kuwait experience. PLOS One, 16 (8). e0254379. ISSN 1932-6203 (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254379)

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Abstract

Purpose This cross-sectional observational study aims to report preliminary data from the first experience using tocilizumab for patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in three of Kuwait's largest public hospitals City. Patients and methods This chart review study examined the benefits of tocilizumab treatment among 127 patients diagnosed with severe coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Results 90 of 127 patients (71%) survived. Mortality was highest in the elderly with multiple medical conditions. Conclusion Despite the small sample size and retrospective nature of the work, our findings are consistent with recent studies suggesting tocilizumab administration in patients presenting with severe COVID pneumonia with associated hyperinflammatory features conferred mortality benefit.

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