Use of tocilizumab in the combination treatment of a COVID-19 patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis (a case report)

The aim is to familiarize practitioners with the clinical case of tocilizumab use in the combination treatment of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and methods. The clinical case shows our own follow-up of COVID-19 clinical course in the p...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: V. A. Vizir, A. S. Sadomov, O. V. Demidenko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Zaporozhye State Medical University 2021-10-01
Series:Zaporožskij Medicinskij Žurnal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://zmj.zsmu.edu.ua/article/view/232322/239323
_version_ 1818738946935357440
author V. A. Vizir
A. S. Sadomov
O. V. Demidenko
author_facet V. A. Vizir
A. S. Sadomov
O. V. Demidenko
author_sort V. A. Vizir
collection DOAJ
description The aim is to familiarize practitioners with the clinical case of tocilizumab use in the combination treatment of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and methods. The clinical case shows our own follow-up of COVID-19 clinical course in the patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis during combination treatment with the use of a recombinant humanized anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody tocilizumab. Results. The patient with a severe COVID-19 course, whose examination and treatment results are given in the article, was comorbid for rheumatoid arthritis. The cytokine storm development at the hospital stage was confirmed by an increase in markers of systemic inflammation: C-reactive protein, D-dimer, fibrinogen, an almost 50-fold increase in serum interleukin-6 level, as well as absolute and relative lymphocytopenia. Despite the anti-inflammatory therapy administered with systemic corticosteroids, the patient’s condition progressively worsened. After assessing the indications and contraindications, it was decided to use the interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor tocilizumab, followed by rapid clinical, laboratory and X-ray positive response to the treatment. The understanding of tocilizumab use in patients with COVID-19 at the current stage was formed based on the comparative analysis of our own clinical case data and the results of relevant clinical trials, world recommendations and guidelines. Conclusions. The use of recombinant humanized anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody tocilizumab in the combination treatment of severe COVID-19 with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis is pathogenetically based and decreases the main clinical and laboratory signs of cytokine storm, respiratory failure, improves chest x-ray findings and reduces the length of hospital stay. Further large randomized placebo-controlled trials including the population of patients with various comorbid conditions are needed to clarify conclusively the place and role of anti-cytokine drugs in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
first_indexed 2024-12-18T01:17:01Z
format Article
id doaj.art-030132ad9925425e971b4b93fbaa9639
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2306-4145
2310-1210
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-18T01:17:01Z
publishDate 2021-10-01
publisher Zaporozhye State Medical University
record_format Article
series Zaporožskij Medicinskij Žurnal
spelling doaj.art-030132ad9925425e971b4b93fbaa96392022-12-21T21:25:56ZengZaporozhye State Medical UniversityZaporožskij Medicinskij Žurnal2306-41452310-12102021-10-0123573974810.14739/2310-1210.2021.5.232322Use of tocilizumab in the combination treatment of a COVID-19 patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis (a case report)V. A. Vizir0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5486-2963A. S. Sadomov1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0298-7120O. V. Demidenko2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8431-037XZaporizhzhia State Medical University, UkraineZaporizhzhia State Medical University, UkraineZaporizhzhia State Medical University, UkraineThe aim is to familiarize practitioners with the clinical case of tocilizumab use in the combination treatment of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and methods. The clinical case shows our own follow-up of COVID-19 clinical course in the patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis during combination treatment with the use of a recombinant humanized anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody tocilizumab. Results. The patient with a severe COVID-19 course, whose examination and treatment results are given in the article, was comorbid for rheumatoid arthritis. The cytokine storm development at the hospital stage was confirmed by an increase in markers of systemic inflammation: C-reactive protein, D-dimer, fibrinogen, an almost 50-fold increase in serum interleukin-6 level, as well as absolute and relative lymphocytopenia. Despite the anti-inflammatory therapy administered with systemic corticosteroids, the patient’s condition progressively worsened. After assessing the indications and contraindications, it was decided to use the interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor tocilizumab, followed by rapid clinical, laboratory and X-ray positive response to the treatment. The understanding of tocilizumab use in patients with COVID-19 at the current stage was formed based on the comparative analysis of our own clinical case data and the results of relevant clinical trials, world recommendations and guidelines. Conclusions. The use of recombinant humanized anti-interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody tocilizumab in the combination treatment of severe COVID-19 with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis is pathogenetically based and decreases the main clinical and laboratory signs of cytokine storm, respiratory failure, improves chest x-ray findings and reduces the length of hospital stay. Further large randomized placebo-controlled trials including the population of patients with various comorbid conditions are needed to clarify conclusively the place and role of anti-cytokine drugs in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.http://zmj.zsmu.edu.ua/article/view/232322/239323covid-19rheumatoid arthritiscytokine release syndrometocilizumab
spellingShingle V. A. Vizir
A. S. Sadomov
O. V. Demidenko
Use of tocilizumab in the combination treatment of a COVID-19 patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis (a case report)
Zaporožskij Medicinskij Žurnal
covid-19
rheumatoid arthritis
cytokine release syndrome
tocilizumab
title Use of tocilizumab in the combination treatment of a COVID-19 patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis (a case report)
title_full Use of tocilizumab in the combination treatment of a COVID-19 patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis (a case report)
title_fullStr Use of tocilizumab in the combination treatment of a COVID-19 patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis (a case report)
title_full_unstemmed Use of tocilizumab in the combination treatment of a COVID-19 patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis (a case report)
title_short Use of tocilizumab in the combination treatment of a COVID-19 patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis (a case report)
title_sort use of tocilizumab in the combination treatment of a covid 19 patient with concomitant rheumatoid arthritis a case report
topic covid-19
rheumatoid arthritis
cytokine release syndrome
tocilizumab
url http://zmj.zsmu.edu.ua/article/view/232322/239323
work_keys_str_mv AT vavizir useoftocilizumabinthecombinationtreatmentofacovid19patientwithconcomitantrheumatoidarthritisacasereport
AT assadomov useoftocilizumabinthecombinationtreatmentofacovid19patientwithconcomitantrheumatoidarthritisacasereport
AT ovdemidenko useoftocilizumabinthecombinationtreatmentofacovid19patientwithconcomitantrheumatoidarthritisacasereport