Data from RECOVERY trial show tocilizumab improved survival and clinical outcomes in hospitalised COVID-19 patients with hypoxia and systemic inflammation

Findings published in The Lancet from the Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial showed that treatment with tocilizumab improved survival and other clinical outcomes in hospitalised coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with hypoxia and systemic inflammation. These benefits were seen regardless of the amount of respiratory support and were additional to the benefits of systemic corticosteroids.

“The RECOVERY trial is the largest randomised trial of the effect of tocilizumab in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. We found that in 4,116 COVID-19 patients with hypoxia and a raised C-reactive protein [CRP ≥75 mg/L], tocilizumab reduced 28-day mortality, increased the probability of discharge within 28 days, and, among patients who were not receiving invasive mechanical ventilation at randomisation, reduced the probability of progression to the composite outcome of invasive mechanical ventilation or death,” reported Peter W Horby, RECOVERY Central Coordinating Office, Oxford, United Kingdom, and colleagues.

“The RECOVERY trial has shown that for patients hospitalised with severe COVID-19, treatment with tocilizumab reduces mortality, increases the chances of successful hospital discharge, and reduces the chances of requiring invasive mechanical ventilation.