Anti-inflammatory dexamethasone: cheap-Drug has proved itself in heavy Covid-19-history

There is a silver lining for the seriously ill Covid-19-patients must lie with poor prospects of Survival, often for weeks on the Intensive-Station and due to badly damaged lungs respiration: In a controlled randomized study has brought a cheap generic drug an amazingly clear survival advantage. The anti-inflammatory dexamethasone is used in various preparations for years, can prevent in comparatively low dosages, the failure of lung function and other organs. As the recently published but not yet peer-reviewed scientific show intermediate results of the "Recovery"-study by the University of Oxford, can reduce the means of the mortality rate in severe Covid-19-gradients.

Joachim Müller-Jung

editor in the features section, responsible for the area of "nature and science".

In the case of patients who were artificially ventilated and the drug received, the mortality rate decreased by a third. Especially the seriously ill, to ventilation equipment is connected to patients at risk of Sepsis and multi-organ failure, benefit from the anti-inflammatories: One of the eight of this patient's life could be saved. It was determined the therapy effect by the 28-day survival rate of the medium-treated patients was compared with the Survival by default, without the dexamethasone treated patients.

In the case of the seriously ill hospital patients with pronounced Covid-19, which only need to be supplied with oxygen, so not on the breathing machine to hang, can be saved, therefore, after all, one of 25 patients. No effects, it has been found in patients showing the symptoms, but not ventilated must be. The results suggest that organ damage and virus multiplication caused derailments of the immune system in the final phase of the Covid-19-disease play a crucial role.

"it is dexamethasone the first drug that was shown that it improved Survival in Covid-19," said Peter Horby, one of the head of the "Recovery"study. "Dexamethasone is a cost-effective, available, and can be used immediately in order to save the whole world." In total, more than 11,500 patients from more than 175 clinics have been in the UK included in the study. The dexamethasone part of the study consisted of 2104 patients who had for ten days, once a day, six milligrams of dexamethasone. 4321 patients served as a control group. Nick Cammack, Covid-19-research officer at the Wellcome Foundation, which brought the study, spoke of a breakthrough. The drug was released in the United Kingdom immediately on the list of standard procedures against Covid-19, as health Minister Matt Hancock announced in London.