Low-dose dexamethasone lowers mortality from COVID-19
Dexamethasone is associated with reduced mortality risk among patients with severe COVID-19, making it the first drug to show such an effect, according to a statement by trial investigators at the University of Oxford. Over 6000 hospitalized patients were randomized to receive either dexamethasone (6 mg daily) or usual care for 10 days. Dexamethasone was associated with significantly lower risk for death among ventilated patients (rate ratio, 0.65) and other patients receiving oxygen (RR, 0.80), compared with those given usual care. Patients who didn’t require respiratory support did not see a benefit. The authors estimate that eight ventilated patients or 25 patients requiring only oxygen would need to be treated with dexamethasone to prevent one death. The results have not been published in a journal yet.
Protocol of RECOVERY trial, which includes dexamethasone arm (Free PDF)