Interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with Covid-19

<p><strong>Background</strong></p> The efficacy of interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is unclear. <p><strong>Methods</strong></p> We evaluated tocilizumab and sarilumab in an ongoing...

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Main Authors: Gordon, AC, Mouncey, PR, Al‑Beidh, F, Estcourt, LJ
Other Authors: REMAP-CAP Investigators
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Massachusetts Medical Society 2021
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author Gordon, AC
Mouncey, PR
Al‑Beidh, F
Estcourt, LJ
author2 REMAP-CAP Investigators
author_facet REMAP-CAP Investigators
Gordon, AC
Mouncey, PR
Al‑Beidh, F
Estcourt, LJ
author_sort Gordon, AC
collection OXFORD
description <p><strong>Background</strong></p> The efficacy of interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is unclear. <p><strong>Methods</strong></p> We evaluated tocilizumab and sarilumab in an ongoing international, multifactorial, adaptive platform trial. Adult patients with Covid-19, within 24 hours after starting organ support in the intensive care unit (ICU), were randomly assigned to receive tocilizumab (8 mg per kilogram of body weight), sarilumab (400 mg), or standard care (control). The primary outcome was respiratory and cardiovascular organ support–free days, on an ordinal scale combining in-hospital death (assigned a value of −1) and days free of organ support to day 21. The trial uses a Bayesian statistical model with predefined criteria for superiority, efficacy, equivalence, or futility. An odds ratio greater than 1 represented improved survival, more organ support–free days, or both. <p><strong>Results</strong></p> Both tocilizumab and sarilumab met the predefined criteria for efficacy. At that time, 353 patients had been assigned to tocilizumab, 48 to sarilumab, and 402 to control. The median number of organ support–free days was 10 (interquartile range, −1 to 16) in the tocilizumab group, 11 (interquartile range, 0 to 16) in the sarilumab group, and 0 (interquartile range, −1 to 15) in the control group. The median adjusted cumulative odds ratios were 1.64 (95% credible interval, 1.25 to 2.14) for tocilizumab and 1.76 (95% credible interval, 1.17 to 2.91) for sarilumab as compared with control, yielding posterior probabilities of superiority to control of more than 99.9% and of 99.5%, respectively. An analysis of 90-day survival showed improved survival in the pooled interleukin-6 receptor antagonist groups, yielding a hazard ratio for the comparison with the control group of 1.61 (95% credible interval, 1.25 to 2.08) and a posterior probability of superiority of more than 99.9%. All secondary analyses supported efficacy of these interleukin-6 receptor antagonists. <p><strong>Conclusions</strong></p> In critically ill patients with Covid-19 receiving organ support in ICUs, treatment with the interleukin-6 receptor antagonists tocilizumab and sarilumab improved outcomes, including survival. (REMAP-CAP ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02735707. opens in new tab.)
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spelling oxford-uuid:a870a948-d88e-400a-9a51-e2eed1d51bf12022-03-27T03:01:36ZInterleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with Covid-19Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:a870a948-d88e-400a-9a51-e2eed1d51bf1EnglishSymplectic ElementsMassachusetts Medical Society2021Gordon, ACMouncey, PRAl‑Beidh, FEstcourt, LJREMAP-CAP Investigators<p><strong>Background</strong></p> The efficacy of interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is unclear. <p><strong>Methods</strong></p> We evaluated tocilizumab and sarilumab in an ongoing international, multifactorial, adaptive platform trial. Adult patients with Covid-19, within 24 hours after starting organ support in the intensive care unit (ICU), were randomly assigned to receive tocilizumab (8 mg per kilogram of body weight), sarilumab (400 mg), or standard care (control). The primary outcome was respiratory and cardiovascular organ support–free days, on an ordinal scale combining in-hospital death (assigned a value of −1) and days free of organ support to day 21. The trial uses a Bayesian statistical model with predefined criteria for superiority, efficacy, equivalence, or futility. An odds ratio greater than 1 represented improved survival, more organ support–free days, or both. <p><strong>Results</strong></p> Both tocilizumab and sarilumab met the predefined criteria for efficacy. At that time, 353 patients had been assigned to tocilizumab, 48 to sarilumab, and 402 to control. The median number of organ support–free days was 10 (interquartile range, −1 to 16) in the tocilizumab group, 11 (interquartile range, 0 to 16) in the sarilumab group, and 0 (interquartile range, −1 to 15) in the control group. The median adjusted cumulative odds ratios were 1.64 (95% credible interval, 1.25 to 2.14) for tocilizumab and 1.76 (95% credible interval, 1.17 to 2.91) for sarilumab as compared with control, yielding posterior probabilities of superiority to control of more than 99.9% and of 99.5%, respectively. An analysis of 90-day survival showed improved survival in the pooled interleukin-6 receptor antagonist groups, yielding a hazard ratio for the comparison with the control group of 1.61 (95% credible interval, 1.25 to 2.08) and a posterior probability of superiority of more than 99.9%. All secondary analyses supported efficacy of these interleukin-6 receptor antagonists. <p><strong>Conclusions</strong></p> In critically ill patients with Covid-19 receiving organ support in ICUs, treatment with the interleukin-6 receptor antagonists tocilizumab and sarilumab improved outcomes, including survival. (REMAP-CAP ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02735707. opens in new tab.)
spellingShingle Gordon, AC
Mouncey, PR
Al‑Beidh, F
Estcourt, LJ
Interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with Covid-19
title Interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with Covid-19
title_full Interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with Covid-19
title_fullStr Interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with Covid-19
title_full_unstemmed Interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with Covid-19
title_short Interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with Covid-19
title_sort interleukin 6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with covid 19
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AT mounceypr interleukin6receptorantagonistsincriticallyillpatientswithcovid19
AT albeidhf interleukin6receptorantagonistsincriticallyillpatientswithcovid19
AT estcourtlj interleukin6receptorantagonistsincriticallyillpatientswithcovid19