Treating critically ill COVID-19 patients with corticosteroid drugs reduces the risk of death by 20 per cent, an analysis of seven international trials found on Wednesday, prompting the World Health Organization to update its advice on treatment. Steroids reduce the risk of death by 20 per cent among COVID-19 patients sick enough to be in intensive care in hospital, the new analysis shows. (Hani Mohammed/The Associated Press)Dexamethasone has been in widespread use in intensive care wards treating COVID-19 patients in some countries since then. "Among critically ill patients with COVID-19, low-dose corticosteroids ... significantly reduce the risk of death." Until the June findings on dexamethasone, no effective treatment had been shown to reduce death rates in patients with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Source: CBC News September 02, 2020 14:57 UTC