Low-cost drug improves Covid-19 patients’ chances of survival

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A UK study shows the anti-inflammatory dexamethasone reduced deaths by a third among those on ventilators

it’s used to treat a range of ailments including rheumatism, asthma, allergies and even to help cancer patients better handle the nausea triggered by chemotherapy.

The dexamethasone research was part of a larger study, called Recovery, that compares a number of potential treatments in an attempt to quickly identify those that are most effective. More than 11,500 patients have been enrolled from over 175 National Health Service hospitals across the UK.A number of anti-inflammatories are being studied around the world for helping coronavirus patients cope with a powerful overreaction of the immune system, sometimes called a cytokine storm.

Dexamethasone treatment reduced deaths by a third among patients on ventilators and by a fifth for those receiving oxygen only. There was no benefit among patients who didn’t need breathing support. “While this study suggests dexamethasone only benefits severe cases, countless lives will be saved globally,” said Nick Cammack, Covid-19 therapeutics accelerator lead at Wellcome, the medical research philanthropy group.

The need for new treatments has been exacerbated as the US Food and Drug Administration revoked emergency-use authorisation for two malaria drugs touted by President Donald Trump as Covid-19 treatments this week after determining they were unlikely to work against the virus and could have dangerous side effects. The medications may also interfere with the effectiveness of Gilead’s remdesivir, the agency warned.

 

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