RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Treatment with 3-day methylprednisolone pulses in severe cases of COVID-19 compared with the standard regimen protocol of dexamethasone
JF Journal of Investigative Medicine
JO J Investig Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 1423
OP 1428
DO 10.1136/jim-2021-002274
VO 70
IS 6
A1 Maria Dafni
A1 Maria Karampeli
A1 Ioannis Michelakis
A1 Aspasia Manta
A1 Anastasia Spanoudaki
A1 Dionysios Mantzos
A1 Sofia Krontira
A1 Victoria Georgiadou
A1 Athina Lioni
A1 Vasiliki Tzavara
YR 2022
UL http://hw-f5-jim.highwire.org/content/70/6/1423.abstract
AB Since the outbreak of COVID-19, research has been focused on establishing effective treatments, especially for patients with severe pneumonia and hyperinflammation. The role and dose of corticosteroids remain obscure. We evaluated 58 patients with severe COVID-19 during two periods. 24 patients who received methylprednisolone pulses (250 mg/day intravenously for 3 days) were compared with 34 patients treated according to the standard dexamethasone protocol of 6 mg/day. Among non-intubated patients, the duration of hospitalization was shorter for those who received methylprednisolone pulses (9.5 vs 13.5, p<0.001). In a subgroup analysis of patients who required intubation, those treated with the dexamethasone protocol demonstrated a relative risk=1.89 (p=0.09) for dying, in contrast to the other group which showed a tendency towards extubation and discharge from the hospital. A ‘delayed’ need for intubation was also observed (6 vs 2 days, p=0.06). Treatment with methylprednisolone pulses significantly reduced hospitalization time. Although there was no statistically significant influence on the necessity for intubation, methylprednisolone pulses revealed a tendency to delay intubation and hospital discharges. This treatment could benefit patients in the hyperinflammatory phase of the disease.Data are available upon reasonable request. All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplemental information. The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplemental materials. Further data of this study are available from the corresponding author, VT, upon reasonable request.