Cyclosporine reduces deaths in severe COVID infection

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Philadelphia Inquirer  10/22/2020

Drug used in organ transplants can reduce deaths from severe COVID-19, research suggests

Quote

Published this month in EClinicalMedicine, the study is far from conclusive. A team at a hospital in Madrid, Spain, looked back at the records of 607 severe COVID-19 patients admitted in March and April. They were treated with one or more drugs thought to help in critical cases, including steroids, HIV antivirals, a rheumatoid arthritis drug, and hydroxychloroquine, the antimalarial touted by President Donald Trump.

Cyclosporine, long used to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients, was the only drug that clearly reduced deaths. Of the 253 patients who received cyclosporine, 36 (14%) died. In a closely matched comparison group of 354 patients who did not get the drug, 105 (almost 30%) died. Overall, nearly a quarter of the 607 patients died....

Cyclosporine can reduce cytokine storm.  Trials underway at Baylor College of Medicine and Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

[NewRN'16, ADN, RN]

It's just another immunosuppressant. 

It looks like it's not the virus killing people, it's our own immune system shutting us down. 

 

Ty for the post.