In a new study from Johns Hopkins University, researchers found remdesivir improved clinical outcomes and reduced mortality for COVID-19 patients on low-flow or no oxygen.
They used data from more than 43,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19 at HCA Healthcare facilities.
The team matched patients treated with remdesivir with a control group of similar patients who were eligible for the antiviral drug but did not receive it.
They found that 74% of remdesivir patients improved within 28 days compared to 68.3% of control patients.
The findings support the routine use of remdesivir in patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19.
They found that remdesivir is best used as early as possible, before the patient progresses to requiring high levels of oxygen or intubation and mechanical ventilation.
Most patients who need that kind of advanced respiratory support are likely past the point where antiviral therapies like remdesivir would be effective.
Remdesivir patients receiving low-flow oxygen treatment or no treatment with oxygen improved far better than their corresponding patients in the control group.
Treatment with remdesivir also strongly reduced mortality in patients on low-flow oxygen, even when accounting for anti-inflammatory medications such as dexamethasone.
The 28-day mortality rate of remdesivir recipients receiving low-flow oxygen was 4.1% lower than control patients.
The team says the findings are particularly important as we battle a surge of delta and omicron cases.
By using remdesivir to shorten the length of the illness, doctors can free up hospital beds for COVID and non-COVID patients to alleviate capacity issues across the country.
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The study is published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and was conducted by Brian Garibaldi et al.
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