Drugs, which will be added to the UK treatment guidelines, offer hope for a time of growing concern. The health system of the country can be overwhelmed.
A drug for arthritis has been found to reduce the chance of death for people with the most severe cases of COVID-19 by a quarter. If they receive treatment within 24 hours after intensive care, a British study on treatments for the disease said. found.
The REMAP-CAP clinical trial, led by Imperial College and funded by the British government, found that tocilizumab, which suppresses the immune system and has long been used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, could reduce the relative risk of death by 24 percent if it is given shortly after admission to the ICU.
It also reduced the length of time patients spent in intensive care by seven to ten days, the health ministry said in a statement.
Most data came from the administration of the drug in addition to a corticosteroid, such as dexamethasone, which has already been shown to improve patients’ chances of recovering from severe cases of COVID-19. The findings are awaiting peer review.
“This is an important step forward in increasing the survival of patients in intensive care with COVID-19,” British Deputy Chief Jonathan Van-Tam said in a statement.
“The data show that tocilizumab, and probably sarilumab (another drug in the study), accelerates and improves the chances of recovery in intensive care, which is essential to relieve pressure on intensive care and hospitals and save lives.”
A mass vaccination program is underway in the UK, but as the outbreak accelerates, there are concerns that the health care system could be overwhelmed. [Jacob King/Pool via AFP]
The UK is struggling with a rising coronavirus crisis fueled by a new variant of the coronavirus that is significantly more transmissible. Authorities have imposed a new exclusion on the country of nearly 67 million people amid growing concerns that the health care system could be overwhelmed by the large number of patients in need of hospital treatment, even before the benefits of a mass vaccination program are felt.
About 52,618 cases were confirmed Thursday and 3,600 people were admitted to hospital.
“The implementation of these treatments could significantly contribute to reducing the pressure on hospitals in the coming weeks and months,” the health ministry said, adding that doctors would be encouraged to use tocilizumab in their treatment of COVID-19 patients was recorded. intensive care units that can “save hundreds of lives”.