Α low-dose of dexamethasone improves survival in patients with severe COVID-19 disease

Efstathios Kastritis, Associate Professor of the Therapeutic Clinic of the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), and Professor of Therapeutic and Rector of NKUA Thanos Dimopoulos summarized the finds of the RECOVERY clinical study launched in the United Kingdom in March 2020  aiming at trying a series of possible treatments for COVID 19. The study included more than 11,500 patients in over 175 hospitals in the UK's National Health Service (NHS).

One of the treatments tested was low-dose dexamethasone. Dexamethasone is a form of cortisone, which has been used for many decades in many diseases and has a strong anti-inflammatory effect.

The first results were encouraging, as the administration of dexamethasone to intubated patients reduced mortality by 35 pct.

These data are important, the two professors pointed out, as dexamethasone is the first drug showing it improves survival of patients with COVID-19. Based on the announcement of these results, the benefit is clear and evident in patients with more serious disease, ie those who need intubation and those who need supplemental oxygen. In addition, dexamethasone is an old, inexpensive and proven drug found in any drugstore around the world.

According to the researchers, they are working to publish the full details of the study and the detailed results as soon as possible, in order to assess all the parameters of this treatment.