Treatment by Inhaled corticosteroids Budesonide Preliminary study results show that patients at risk for adverse outcomes have a median recovery time reduction of 3 days from COVID-19.
The results of the Platform Randomized Trial (PRINCIPLE) trial of interventions for COVID-19 in the elderly by Oxford University involved 1779 patients.
Of the patients who completed all 28 days of treatment by March 25, 8.5% of patients who received budesonide were hospitalized, compared with 10.3% who received regular treatment. After considering the confounding factors, this represents an estimated profit margin of 2.1%. Preprint.
Chris Butler, a primary care professor at the University’s Department of Primary Care and Health Sciences, said in a briefing hosted by the Science Media Center: The patient himself. “
Patients involved in trials with underlying disease
If you have symptoms of COVID within the last 14 days and are 65 or older or 50 or older with comorbidities and are in a high-risk category, you are eligible for recruitment.
In addition to regular care, study participants received 800 μg of inhaled budesonide (Pulmicort Turbohaler, AstraZeneca) twice daily for 14 days, or only regular care.
All participants were treated at home or in other community environments.
The results showed that the estimated median time to self-reported recovery from COVID-19 was 3 in 961 patients who took budesonide compared to 1819 who were randomly assigned to receive regular care only 3. 011 suggested to be short.
Researchers said that 32% of people taking budesonide recovered within the first 14 days of treatment, compared to 22% in the regular care group.
Participants in the budesonide group also reported that their health improved after two weeks, they added.
Study recruitment was suspended on March 31 after it was determined that enough patients were enrolled to see if the drug provided a significant benefit in time to recovery. The reduction in hospitalization also meant that it was unlikely that further data would be available on whether the drug could reduce hospitalization and mortality.
Professor Richard Hobbes, Senior Researcher at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: ..
“Unlike other proven treatments, budesonide is effective as a home treatment and in the early stages of the disease. This is an important milestone in this pandemic and a major achievement in community-based research. is.”
Gale Hayward, an associate professor at Oxford University and a collaborator in the study, said: But, Inhaler I think it’s about £ 14 in itself, so it’s really cheap compared to the many treatments used for COVID. “
Detailed results on recovery time and hospitalization will be published after all remaining patients enrolled in the study have completed follow-up and the results have been analyzed, the researchers said.
Meanwhile, PRINCIPLE will continue to investigate the effectiveness of treatments in the community with anti-inflammatory agents. Colchicine And antiviral Fabipiravir.
“Exciting and important”
Kevin McConway, an emeritus professor of applied statistics at The Open University, described the preprint results as “appropriate.” “There was some evidence that budesonide reduced the risk of hospitalization, but this has not yet reached a level where researchers can be fully convinced that there is a real difference in hospitalization risk,” he said. It was.
Dr. Pennyward, a visiting professor of pharmaceutical medicine at King’s College London, described the magnitude of the effect as “modest.” She states: “This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of people with severe COVID and expected high risk of hospitalization, but included target groups and observed low hospitalization rates, primarily. It was suggested that mild subjects were recruited. Limiting the applicability of findings to other subjects with more serious comorbidities or with a higher immediate risk of serious illness. “
Professor Simon de Lucigan, Medical Director of the Royal College of General Practical Research and Surveillance Center, said:
“Having an easily accessible drug that can help patients recover faster from COVID-19 enhances the care we can provide near the home where the patient wants it most. Will do. “