The World Health Organization is seeking to update its care and treatment guidelines for COVID-19 patients after seeing positive results from a study using dexamethasone, a cheap, widely available steroid that reduced deaths by up to one-third in severely ill hospitalized patients.
Researchers in the U.K. on Tuesday claimed to have discovered the first evidence that dexamethasone may improve survival of those who have contracted the coronavirus.
While the researchers are planning to publish the results of their study in a medical journal soon, independent experts have cautioned that it is important to continue to monitor the use of the drug and how much of a difference it can make in severe patients.
“This is the first treatment to be shown to reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19 requiring oxygen or ventilator support,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement Tuesday evening.
The United Nations-backed organization said it is eagerly awaiting the results of the full data analysis that is expected in the coming days.
The latest study, led by the University of Oxford, randomly assigned 2,104 patients to be administered the drug and compared them with 4,321 patients who received usual care, The Associated Press reported.
After four weeks, the drug had reduced deaths by 35% in patients who needed to use medical breathing devices and by 20% in patients who required supplemental oxygen. The drug did not appear to help less ill patients.
“WHO will coordinate a meta-analysis to increase our overall understanding of this intervention,” the agency said. “WHO clinical guidance will be updated to reflect how and when the drug should be used in COVID-19.”
• This story is based on wire reports.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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