Bottom Line:
Among hospitalized COVID-19 patients, administering dexamethasone resulted in lower 28-day mortality in patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation or oxygen alone.
Reference:
Horby, P. et al. Dexamethasone in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19 — Preliminary Report. NEJM (2020). https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2021436
Date Published:
17 July 2020
Synopsis:
Preliminary results from the REOVERY trial indicate that the use of dexamethasone for up to 10 days in patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation or supplemental oxygen reduced 28 day mortality significantly compared to those randomized to receive usual care. However, this trend was not seen for patients who did not require either intervention. The medication is available readily worldwide at low cost. These results are consistent with current literature highlighting the use of glucocorticoids only in patients with severe illness caused by SARS-CoV-2.
Summary by: Mike Ge
COVID-19 Central 