Lack of tocilizumab effect on mortality in COVID19 patients

G. Holt, Mayanka Batra, M. Murthi, S. Kambali, K. Santos, Maria Virginia Perez Bastidas, H. Asif, Sara Haddadi, S. Arias, M. Mirsaeidi

Scientific reports, 2020

Off-label tocilizumab use in COVID-19 patients reflects concern for cytokine release syndrome. Comparison of matched COVID-19 pneumonia patients found elevated IL-6 levels correlated with mortality that did not change with tocilizumab administration. Correlating mortality with increased IL-6 doesn’t imply causality however lack of improvement by tocilizumab requires further clinical trial alterations.

Cited by 9 publications.

Field of study: Medicine

10.1038/s41598-020-74328-x