The effect of various corticosteroids in the hospitalized patients with moderate and severe COVID-19: A tertiary hospital experience.

BACKGROUND

The pandemic of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 has irrevocably altered the lives of human beings and is challenging national health systems worldwide. Many treatment strategies have been put out to lessen the damage to the inflammatory organs in COVID-19 pneumonia cases, and corticosteroids are one of the most promising pharmaceutical treatments.

AIM

To assess the efficacy and safety of various corticosteroids (Dexamethasone, Methylprednisolone, Prednisolone, and Hydrocortisone) among patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 who received corticosteroids during their hospital stay.

METHODS

It was a record-based retrospective cohort study conducted between April 1st, 2020, and June 30th, 2021, at the tertiary care teaching hospital, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur. Only patients who received corticosteroids during their hospital stay were included in the study. COVID-19 severity was assessed using the WHO ordinal scale, where scores range from 0 (uninfected) to 8 (death).

RESULTS

Out of 431 patients, 243 (56 %) patients survived and 188 (44 %) patients did not survive. Most patients were admitted with a WHO ordinal score of 4 (n = 239, 55.4 %), followed by score 5 (n = 4, 1 %), who were discharged with a score of 0 or 1 and more in group 1. More patients died in group 5 and group 2. 155 (35.9 %) patients did not survive in the severe group, followed by 33 (7.7 %) in the moderate group.

CONCLUSION

More research on the safety and effectiveness of corticosteroids is needed to improve the in-hospital care of COVID-19. The study found that using corticosteroids in combination and higher doses for longer durations will help policymakers recommend strict guidelines. We looked for dose and duration compliance and the relationship between adverse events and diabetes patients. However, the findings of this study support dexamethasone as a promising agent in the fight against SARS-CoV-2.