Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Patients with a Moderate and Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Single Center Cohort Study

Introduction: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is the key cytokine in “cytokine release syndrome” and associated with the lung fibrosis. Tocilizumab (TCZ) reduces the negative effects of inflammation by blocking the binding of IL-6 to its receptor. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational...

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Main Authors: Sibel BOLUKÇU, Dilara KARAKUŞ, Gülay OKAY, Yasemin AKKOYUNLU, Bilge SÜMBÜL, Bülent DURDU, Meliha Meriç KOÇ, Turan ASLAN
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Galenos Publishing House 2021-01-01
Series:Mediterranean Journal of Infection, Microbes and Antimicrobials
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Online Access:http://mjima.org/abstract.php?id=297
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author Sibel BOLUKÇU
Dilara KARAKUŞ
Gülay OKAY
Yasemin AKKOYUNLU
Bilge SÜMBÜL
Bülent DURDU
Meliha Meriç KOÇ
Turan ASLAN
author_facet Sibel BOLUKÇU
Dilara KARAKUŞ
Gülay OKAY
Yasemin AKKOYUNLU
Bilge SÜMBÜL
Bülent DURDU
Meliha Meriç KOÇ
Turan ASLAN
author_sort Sibel BOLUKÇU
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is the key cytokine in “cytokine release syndrome” and associated with the lung fibrosis. Tocilizumab (TCZ) reduces the negative effects of inflammation by blocking the binding of IL-6 to its receptor. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational cohort study. Patients with microbiologically-confirmed Severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2 infection who received TCZ and standard treatment for Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID‐19) were evaluated in the study. Results: A total of 64 severe and moderate COVID-19 cases were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 57.8±13.9 years and 68.8% (n=44) of them were male, 54.7% (n=35) of them had a severe COVID-19 infection and 45.3% (n=29) of them received TCZ therapy. Standard treatment group and TCZ group were compared in terms of the mortality and clinical changes such as a fever response and need for oxygen support. Fever response was detected within the first day of the treatment in the TCZ group. Additionally, need for oxygen support was lower in the TCZ group, although the difference was not statistically significant. Admission to the intensive care unit and mortality were lower in the TCZ group. Conclusion: Efficacy of TCZ should be assessed in randomized placebo-controlled trials in the early phase of COVID-19 patients.
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spelling doaj-art-2a94e6b6edb64dc2a8cb31c35b8100082025-08-20T03:54:43ZengGalenos Publishing HouseMediterranean Journal of Infection, Microbes and Antimicrobials2147-673X2021-01-0110110.4274/mjima.galenos.2021.2021.68Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Patients with a Moderate and Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Single Center Cohort StudySibel BOLUKÇU0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6475-3894Dilara KARAKUŞ1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5948-9424Gülay OKAY2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1616-2162Yasemin AKKOYUNLU3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0972-0461Bilge SÜMBÜL4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8768-3777Bülent DURDU5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0244-4006Meliha Meriç KOÇ6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0563-6900Turan ASLAN7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8832-5528Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, İstanbul, TurkeyBezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, İstanbul, TurkeyBezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, İstanbul, TurkeyBezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, İstanbul, TurkeyBezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, İstanbul, TurkeyBezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, İstanbul, TurkeyBezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, İstanbul, TurkeyBezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, İstanbul, TurkeyIntroduction: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is the key cytokine in “cytokine release syndrome” and associated with the lung fibrosis. Tocilizumab (TCZ) reduces the negative effects of inflammation by blocking the binding of IL-6 to its receptor. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational cohort study. Patients with microbiologically-confirmed Severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2 infection who received TCZ and standard treatment for Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID‐19) were evaluated in the study. Results: A total of 64 severe and moderate COVID-19 cases were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 57.8±13.9 years and 68.8% (n=44) of them were male, 54.7% (n=35) of them had a severe COVID-19 infection and 45.3% (n=29) of them received TCZ therapy. Standard treatment group and TCZ group were compared in terms of the mortality and clinical changes such as a fever response and need for oxygen support. Fever response was detected within the first day of the treatment in the TCZ group. Additionally, need for oxygen support was lower in the TCZ group, although the difference was not statistically significant. Admission to the intensive care unit and mortality were lower in the TCZ group. Conclusion: Efficacy of TCZ should be assessed in randomized placebo-controlled trials in the early phase of COVID-19 patients.http://mjima.org/abstract.php?id=297tocilizumabil-6covid-19turkey
spellingShingle Sibel BOLUKÇU
Dilara KARAKUŞ
Gülay OKAY
Yasemin AKKOYUNLU
Bilge SÜMBÜL
Bülent DURDU
Meliha Meriç KOÇ
Turan ASLAN
Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Patients with a Moderate and Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Single Center Cohort Study
Mediterranean Journal of Infection, Microbes and Antimicrobials
tocilizumab
il-6
covid-19
turkey
title Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Patients with a Moderate and Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Single Center Cohort Study
title_full Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Patients with a Moderate and Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Single Center Cohort Study
title_fullStr Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Patients with a Moderate and Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Single Center Cohort Study
title_full_unstemmed Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Patients with a Moderate and Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Single Center Cohort Study
title_short Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Patients with a Moderate and Severe COVID-19: A Retrospective Single Center Cohort Study
title_sort efficacy of tocilizumab in patients with a moderate and severe covid 19 a retrospective single center cohort study
topic tocilizumab
il-6
covid-19
turkey
url http://mjima.org/abstract.php?id=297
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