1. Limited efficacy of low-dose dexamethasone for the treatment of severe COVID-19 pneumonia: A retrospective study.
- Author
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Inoue S, Kata Y, Suido Y, Nakashima K, Otsu Y, Takayasu H, Matsumoto Y, and Kaneko T
- Subjects
- Humans, Retrospective Studies, COVID-19 Drug Treatment, Adrenal Cortex Hormones, Dexamethasone, COVID-19
- Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Its symptoms range from mild to severe, with the latter often being life-threatening. This study aims to assess the effects of low-dose dexamethasone (DEX) in mild-to-severe COVID-19 pneumonia and examine the final clinical outcomes to identify the optimal therapeutic dose., Methods: Clinical data from 132 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia between January and October 2021 at Yamato Municipal Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the ratio of peripheral arterial oxygen saturation (SpO
2 ) to inspired fraction of oxygen (FiO2 ), patients were categorized into the mild (>450, n = 65), moderate (315-450, n = 55), and severe (<315, n = 12) pneumonia groups. The event of interest was defined as the worsening of the patient's condition during treatment (need to increase FiO2 > 0.1). Patients were treated with low-dose DEX (6.6 mg/day) for 10 days., Results: The event-free survival rate decreased significantly in patients with severe pneumonia compared with in those with mild and moderate pneumonia (Bonferroni-adjusted p < 0.02). A total of 16 patients were treated with high-dose corticosteroids because of severe hypoxia. Recovery was observed in all discharged patients with respiratory condition improvement. Low SpO2 /FiO2 at admission was significantly associated with serum C-reactive protein levels., Conclusions: For Japanese patients with COVID-19, severe pneumonia, and SpO2 /FiO2 of <315, it may be necessary to administer a dose of corticosteroids of >6.6 mg DEX., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Japanese Respiratory Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)- Published
- 2023
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