Dexamethasone - Printable Version

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Dexamethasone - BostonCard - 06-16-2020

First drug to be proven to reduce the mortality of severe COVID-19 (something even remdesivir couldn't prove) is a $5 generic steroid.

https://www.recoverytrial.net/news/low-cost-dexamethasone-reduces-death-by-up-to-one-third-in-hospitalised-patients-with-severe-respiratory-complications-of-covid-19

I haven't seen it published yet, so I'll wait to see the details. Still, the benefit looks fairly substantial (this would qualify as a "game changer" if true):

Quote:Dexamethasone reduced deaths by one-third in ventilated patients (rate ratio 0.65 [95% confidence interval 0.48 to 0.88]; p=0.0003) and by one fifth in other patients receiving oxygen only (0.80 [0.67 to 0.96]; p=0.0021). There was no benefit among those patients who did not require respiratory support (1.22 [0.86 to 1.75]; p=0.14).

It is reassuring that the benefit was seen in both patients who were ventilated and required oxygen.  It is not surprising that more seriously ill patients benefit more.

BC

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RE: Dexamethasone - dabigv13 - 06-16-2020

Interesting data, though I do think the NY times should have waited for it to be submitted to a journal before putting it top of their website.

I imagine many ICU patients have been receiving dexamethasone already, not sure this will change practice too much but good to have some support for steroids helping, since we give them out like candy for things that have only anecdotal support otherwise.

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RE: Dexamethasone - akiddoc - 06-16-2020

My understanding from those in the ICU's is that everyone is being treated with steroids, and that this has been standard practice for a couple of months.

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