TOCILIZUMAB - An Option for Patients With COVID-19 Associated Cytokine Release Syndrome; A Single Center Experience
Covid19

About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Covid19 focused on measuring Tocilizumab, Covid-19, SARS-CoV-2
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- All patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection with positive reverse transcriptase RT-PCR test, willing to participate in this study or PCR negative patients with clinically COVID-19 Pneumonia in cytokine storm as evidenced by raised inflammatory markers with typical radiological changes
- Patients of both genders were included
- Patients having an age of > 65 years with proven Cardiomyopathy, Coronary artery disease, chronic lung disease, Immunosuppressed or organ transplant End-stage renal disease on history & examination and medical records and having any 1 out of 4 Fever 0f
- ≥39 C
- Hypotension or drop in mean arterial pressure of > 10mmHg
- Progressive Hypoxemia requiring > 5 liters of oxygen
- Sustained Respiratory rate >30/min with any 2 laboratory parameters out of 3 are present D-dimers ≥ 1000 ng/ml C-reactive protein CRP ≥ 100mg/L Ferritin ≥ 600ng/ml
- Patients having low risk or no comorbidities and having an age of <65 years with having any 3 out of 4 Fever 0f
- ≥39 C
- Hypotension or drop in mean arterial pressure of > 10mmHg
- Progressive Hypoxemia requiring > 5 liters of oxygen
- Sustained Respiratory rate >30/min With any 2 laboratory parameters out of 3 are present D-dimers ≥ 1000 ng/ml C-reactive protein CRP ≥ 100mg/L Ferritin ≥ 600ng/ml
Moderate severe or severe COVID 19 features
- Shortness of breath oxygen saturation <93% on room air
- Progressive Hypoxemia requiring > 5 liters of oxygen
- Respiratory rate >30/min
- The partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen ratio<300
- Lung infiltrates on Chest x-ray CXR >50% within 24 to 48 hrs
- Respiratory failure
Exclusion Criteria:
- Known severe allergic reactions to Tocilizumab or any other monoclonal antibody
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Absolute Neutrophil Count(ANC) < 1000
- Alanine aminotransferase(ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) > 5 times upper normal limit
- Platelet count of < 50,000
- Bowel diverticulitis or bowel perforation
- Patients having Acute pancreatitis
Sites / Locations
- Fatima Memorial Hospital College of Medicine & Dentistry
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Tocilizumab Group
Methylprednisolone (corticosteroid) group
Tocilizumab administration protocol: Patients received an initial dose calculated as per the body weight (8mg/kg) maximum 800mg/dose) over 1 hour, followed by up to three additional doses if required as per the response after the first dose with 8 hours intervals. Predefined Parameters of disease severity were assessed 12 to 24 hourly. Injection Paracetamol 1g was administered before infusion.
Corticosteroid administration protocol: Patients received methylprednisolone 80mg/day in two divided doses as per national/local guidelines and predefined parameters of disease severity were assessed on each day.