Researchers at Hackensack Meridian Health are touting the drug tocilizumab as a treatment for critically ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU.
Observational data of hospitalized COVID-19 patients shows that tocilizumab, generally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and cancer, improves hospital survival in the critically ill ICU patients, according to a news release.
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Researchers at Hackensack Meridian Health are touting the drug tocilizumab as a treatment for critically ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU.
Observational data of hospitalized COVID-19 patients shows that tocilizumab, generally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and cancer, improves hospital survival in the critically ill ICU patients, according to a news release.
The researchers published results in The Lancet Rheumatology last week and subsequently updated the FDA and other national leaders with information from the observations in an effort to potentially accelerate improved outcomes.
A total of 630 patients admitted to the ICUs of 13 Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals between March 1 and April 22 (the height of the pandemic in New Jersey) were observed. Tocilizumab was considered for off-label usage in patients whose respiratory symptoms were declining, many of whom required mechanical ventilator support. In the study, 210 patients received the drug,…