Steroid saves very ill Covid-19 patients in ‘major breakthrough'
LONDON: Dexamethasone, a cheap and widely used steroid, has become the first drug shown to be able to save lives among Covid-19 patients in what scientists hailed as a "major breakthrough".
Results of trials announced yesterday showed dexamethasone, which is used to reduce inflammation in other diseases, reduced death rates by around a third among the most severely ill Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital.
The results suggest the drug should immediately become standard care in patients with severe cases of the pandemic disease, said the researchers who led the trials.
"This is a result that shows that if patients who have Covid-19 and are on ventilators or are on oxygen are given dexamethasone, it will save lives, and it will do so at a remarkably low cost," said Professor Martin Landray, an Oxford University professor co-leading the trial, known as the Recovery trial.
"It's going to be very hard for any drug really to replace this, given that for less than £50 pounds (S$88), you can treat eight patients and save a life," he told reporters in an online briefing.
Co-lead investigator Peter Horby said dexamethasone was "the only drug that's so far shown to reduce mortality - and it reduces it significantly".
"It is a major breakthrough," he said.
"Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide."
There are currently no approved treatments or vaccines for Covid-19.
The Recovery trial compared outcomes of around 2,100 patients who were randomly assigned to get the steroid, with those of around 4,300 patients who did not get it.
The results suggest that one death would be prevented by treatment with dexamethasone among every eight ventilated Covid-19 patients, Prof Landray said, and one death would be prevented among every 25 Covid-19 patients that received the drug and are on oxygen.
Among patients with Covid-19 who did not require respiratory support, there was no benefit from treatment with dexamethasone. - REUTERS
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
