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Can steroids reverse the severe COVID‐19 induced “cytokine storm”?
Author(s) -
Kolilekas Lykourgos,
Loverdos Konstantinos,
Giannakaki Styliani,
Vlassi Lamprini,
Levounets Anastasia,
Zervas Eleftherios,
Gaga Mina
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.26165
Subject(s) - ards , medicine , cytokine storm , pneumonia , proinflammatory cytokine , cytokine release syndrome , covid-19 , intensive care , viral pneumonia , diffuse alveolar damage , methylprednisolone , immunology , lung , intensive care medicine , acute respiratory distress , inflammation , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Severe coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) is characterized by an excessive proinflammatory cytokine storm, resulting in acute lung injury and development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The role of corticosteroids is controversial in severe COVID‐19 pneumonia and associated hyper‐inflammatory syndrome. We reported a case series of six consecutive COVID‐19 patients with severe pneumonia, ARDS and laboratory indices of hyper‐inflammatory syndrome. All patients were treated early with a short course of corticosteroids, and clinical outcomes were compared before and after corticosteroids administration. All patients evaded intubation and intensive care admission, ARDS resolved within 11.8 days (median), viral clearance was achieved in four patients within 17.2 days (median), and all patients were discharged from the hospital in 16.8 days (median). Early administration of short course corticosteroids improves clinical outcome of patients with severe COVID‐19 pneumonia and evidence of immune hyperreactivity.