Posted on 05/08/2020 6:56:27 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
KEY POINTS
* Treatment options for critically ill COVID-19 patients treated outside ICUs- need of the hour
* A recent study demonstrated that arthritis drug anakinra appeared promising
* The U.S.FDA approved arthritis drug found to be safe and effective in treating ARDS
The study included 29 patients who received standard care of non-invasive ventilation, hydroxychloroquine, and lopinavir/ritonavir alongside the daily high-dose intravenous infusion of the arthritis drug anakinra at 10 mg/kg body weight.
Although this is just an observational study, the findings revealed that the arthritis drug improved lung function in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
"Our study is the first to suggest that a high dose of the arthritis drug anakinra may be able to block the overreaction of the immune system caused by COVID-19. The results are interesting and the drug deserves controlled testing in large randomized trials," EurekAlert quoted Dr. Giulio Cavalli, from the Unit of Immunology, Rheumatology, Allergy, and Rare Diseases at San Raffaele Hospital and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Italy.
The drug anakinra sold by Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB as Kineret was linked to a 90% survival rate and reduced respiratory symptoms.
Inflammation is considered one of the most harmful effects of COVID-19 and is a protective response to infections and injuries that can turn on the body via a phenomenon called a cytokine storm. Drug manufacturers are currently testing products including Actemra and Kevzara that treat inflammation than the coronavirus infection.
“In the story of host-meets-virus, we tend to focus on the virus. These and other emerging data rightly focus more attention on the host inflammatory response and might herald a shift in how we approach the host-virus relationship,” Bloomberg Law quoted Kate Kernan and Scott Canna of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
ARDS is said to be the main cause of death from COVID-19 and the estimated mortality rates range from 28% to 78%. A COVID-19 patient’s breathing is supported until the inflammation recedes. But the number of patients who require ventilation could exceed the number of mechanical ventilators available. Therefore, treatments to improve the prognosis of critically ill COVID-19 patients treated outside ICUs are the need of the hour.
Anakinra is already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency to treat rheumatoid arthritis, still’s a disease as well as recurrent fever. The drug works by blocking the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1. The researchers also pointed out that compared to other cytokine-blocking agents, this arthritis drug was safer and was very much suitable for critically ill patients.
“In view of the biological plausibility of anakinra, the pharmacokinetic and safety profile of the drug, and a growing body of positive experience in autoinflammation and cytokine storm, these data are promising and support prioritizing this approach in the planning and enrolment of randomized controlled trials," EurekAlert quoted Dr. Scott Canna from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Well, if it is working, Trump better stay away from mentioning it.
There are other FDA-approved anti-inflammatory drugs as well. Some of them should be tested, too.
Yep, as with so many afflictions — dis-eases — it’s all about inflammation.
It seems to me that this is a very treatable disease, now that we know more about it.
The regular survival rate is 99% or better.
With this medicine, it is only 90%?
Don’t take it!!!!!!!
The cost for Kineret subcutaneous solution (100 mg/0.67 mL) is around $1,142 for a supply of 4.69 milliliters, depending on the pharmacy you visit.
...
Subcutaneous Solution.
Quantity Per unit Price
4.69 (7 x 0.67 milliliters) $243.56 $1,142.30
18.76 (28 x 0.67 milliliters) $203.16 $3,811.35
I have no idea of the daily cost for this drug.
It is probably a lot more expensive than the Combo cited by President Trump.
This is for those with ARDS not just Covid. So they are already in bad shape.
My thought as well. This is how insane the anti-Trump swamp scum are.
We had a very nice local story where a youth soccer coach recovered from COVID with coma and HCQ was used. The news story had about 10 seconds of feel good and the rest was anti-HCQ: "unproven","Trump touted","no proof","not enough evidence" with even the doctor who treated the coach's being a total shill:"can't say for sure what saved him". The politics of COVID is absolutely SICKENING!
this was in critically ill patients but you are free to refuse any treatment offered
I find it interesting that with a virus so dangerous that so many different drugs seem to be a cure.
What is really going on here?
A senior German virologist said they were way wrong about the lethality of the virus and quoted fatality figures that were flu-like. I also saw that Germany as going to go ahead with soccer season.
If I an find the like to the virologist I will post it.
Also look at ivermectin. Positive results.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3580524
Usefulness of Ivermectin in COVID-19 Illness
Outcomes
Of those requiring mechanical ventilation fewer patients died in the ivermectin group (7.3% versus 21.3%) and overall death rates were lower with ivermectin (1.4% versus 8.5% with a corresponding HR 0.20, CI 95% 0.11-0.37, p<0.0001)
also
https://www.trialsitenews.com/category/ivermectin/ for other trials
Looks good, but not in news in major media sites.
This is about Germany’s plans for reopening.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrL9QKGQrWk
https://berlinspectator.com/2020/05/01/chronology-germany-and-the-coronavirus-2/
Professors Hendrik Streeck in Youtube and Christian Drosten in the other article.
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