(1) Background: Severe COVID-19 outcomes are associated with cytokine release syndrome, characterized by the release of several immune modulators, including Interleukin-6 (IL-6). Tocilizumab (TCZ) is an IL-6 receptor antagonist used to treat rheumatic arthritis. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCZ against COVID-19. (2) Methods: This was a retrospective study including 49 severe COVID-19 patients who received TCZ therapy in NMC Royal Hospital, UAE. (3) Results: Before Tocilizumab administration, the median temperature was 37.0 (IQR 36.0–39.6), and after day seven, the median reduced to 36.5 (IQR 35.8–37.9), p > 0.001. Thirty (61.2%) patients were admitted to the ICU, of which, eight (16.3%) were on WHO scale 4, sixteen (32.6%) on scale 5, and six (20.0%) on scale 6. TCZ reduced inflammatory markers over time, including CRP, D-Dimer, Ferritin, and Fibrinogen. By the end of week seven, 14 patients died (28.6%) while 35 (71.4%) improved and were discharged. (4) Conclusions: The study showed limited improvements in COVID-19 outcomes with TCZ therapy and highlighted the importance of D-Dimer monitoring for possible risk of thrombosis. Additionally, it could be recommended to upgrade the anti-coagulation dose to therapeutic levels once TCZ therapy is decided upon.
(1) Background: The WHO identified COVID-19 as a fast-growing epidemic worldwide. A few antivirals have shown promising effectiveness in treating COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the correlation between antiviral drugs and the time until viral clearance of SARS-CoV-2. (2) Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study that included 1731 non-severe COVID-19 patients treated in NMC Royal Hospital, UAE. (3) Results: A total of 1446 patients received symptomatic treatment only (mean age of 35.6 ± 9.0 years). The analyzed antiviral treatment protocols were azithromycin, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, and favipiravir. The produced Kaplan–Meier plots showed no significant differences in the time until viral clearance among the compared protocols, which showed overlapping confidence intervals, which were determined by performing the log-rank and adjusted pairwise log-rank tests (p = 0.2, log-rank = 9.3). The age and gender of patients did not significantly affect the rate of viral clearance regardless of the antiviral therapy administered, even when compared to patients who received symptomatic treatment only, with the exception of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), azithromycin, and favipiravir, which increased the odds of a faster rate of viral clearance by 46% after adjustments. (4) Conclusions: No significant differences were observed regarding the time until viral clearance among non-severe COVID-19 patients following the prescription of different antiviral drugs.
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