Tocilizumab and IVIG experience during the service follow-up in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia

Abstract

Most SARS-CoV-2 infections are asymptomatic or cause only mild illness, but severe respiratory disease can develop, sometimes requiring oxygen support. Immunopathological damage resulting from an abnormal inflammatory response in patients with severe disease is known to be the main determinant of disease outcome. Studies show that anti-inflammatory therapies work best when used before widespread immunopathological damage has occurred. Similarly, it was thought that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)—holding multiple immunomodulatory effects—would provide clinically favorable results, but recent studies suggest otherwise. Still, the literature shows few studies evaluating the efficacy of IVIG according to the time of administration and there are no studies comparing it with established treatments, such as tocilizumab. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of early administration of tocilizumab and IVIG on clinical outcome in patients with severe COVID-19. Patients with progressive clinical and laboratory deterioration who received tocilizumab or IVIG between 07/2020 and 10/2020 in a public hospital ward were retrospectively evaluated. A total of 74 patients were identified, of whom 29 (39%) received IVIG only and 26 (35%) received tocilizumab only. As a result, patients with severe COVID-19 who received IVIG in early stages of the disease did not have better clinical outcomes regarding mortality, length of hospital stay and ICU admission compared to those who received tocilizumab. Moreover, there is no data to support the use of IVIG in COVID-19 patients with severe disease, as it is associated with more severe side effects and is more expensive than tocilizumab.