A new analysis of several studies in which steroid drugs were used to treat severely ill Covid-19 patients found the drugs significantly helped reduce patient deaths, bolstering earlier, preliminary evidence for the benefit of these medications. The authors analyzed the results of seven studies, between February and June, that evaluated the use of the commonly used drugs dexamethasone, hydrocortisone and methylprednisolone. The study found relatively consistent benefits for using the drugs in severely ill patients: Of 678 severely ill patients who received steroids, 32.7% died, compared with 41.5% of patients receiving usual care or placebo. Scientists and physicians involved in the meta-analysis said the results raise hope that cheap, widely available drugs may become standard treatments for severe cases of Covid-19. He added that the results are especially encouraging because of the consistency of the benefit to patients seen across different types of steroids and should lead to wide acceptance of steroids as one line of treatment for Covid-19.

Source: Wall Street Journal September 02, 2020 14:05 UTC