Secondary Infection Risk in Patients With Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia Treated With Tocilizumab

Conclusions: Patients with severe COVID pneumonia treated with tocilizumab experienced high rates of secondary infection. Although the benefit of tocilizumab in reducing mortality is well-established and almost certainly outweighs secondary infection risks, we question if the “real-world” infection rates are much higher than those reported in trials or if the infection risk could be mitigated with dose reductions in tocilizumab without losing the mortality benefit. Further study into the infection risk, and risk–benefit analysis of dose adjustments, of tocilizumab in the critical care setting is warranted.
Source: American Journal of Therapeutics - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Original Investigation Source Type: research