Background: The first case of Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was diagnosed in Wuhan, China in 2019 . In the first half of 2020, this disease has already converted into a global pandemic . This study aimed to find that treatment of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia with Tocilizumab or steroids was associated with better outcomes .
Objectives: To analyze the effectiveness of Tocilizumab in moderate to severe Covid-19 patients based on predefined assessment criteria . Study Settings: Single-center, Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore . Study design: Quasi-experimental . Duration of study: From May 12 , 2020 to June 12 , 2020 . Patients &
Methods: Sample size and technique: Sample size was 93; 33 patients were kept in the experimental group, given Tocilizumab, 8 mg/kg intravenously or 162 mg subcutaneously, and the rest of the 60 patients were given corticosteroids, methylprednisolone 80 mg/day . Consecutive sampling . Failure of therapy was labeled when patients were intubated or died, and the endpoints were failure-free survival which was the primary endpoint, and overall survival secondary at the time of discharge .
Results: A total of 93 patients were enrolled, the Tocilizumab (TCZ) group (case) and Corticosteroid (CS) group (Control). The median age was 58 years (IQR-21), 37 (39.8 %) patients with diabetes mellitus , 11 (11.8 %) in the TCZ group, and 26 (28 %) in the CS group . On the whole, the total median hospital stay in days was 7 with IQR (4), a total of 83 (89.2 %) patients recovered successfully and discharged , 27 (29 %) in the TCZ group and 56 (60.2 %) in the CS group . Total 10 (10.8 %) patients died, out of which 6 (6.5 %) belonged to the TCZ group and 4 (4.3 %) belonged to the CS group The median Oxygen requirement with IQR was 8 (9) in both the groups and in total as well, p-value (0.714).
Conclusions: Tocilizumab is a quite effective treatment option for critically sick patients of Covid-19 by reducing their oxygen requirement drastically and so the ICU stay, median hospital stay and so the mortality as well . Clinicals trials registration: UIN #NCT04730323