The Effect of Intravenous Tocilizumab Therapy on the Prognosis of Patients with COVID-۱۹: A Case-Control Study

Background and Aim: Tocilizumab is a monoclonal antibody against the Interleukin-۶ (IL۶) receptor, but its effect on improving the clinical condition of coronavirus disease of ۲۰۱۹ (COVID-۱۹) patients is debated. Accordingly, this study investigated the impact of Tocilizumab as an alternative treatment on the outcomes of COVID-۱۹ patients. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, ۳۰۰ COVID-۱۹ patients in Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman, Iran, from November ۲۰۲۱ to January ۲۰۲۲ diagnosed by Real Time-PCR test with severe pneumonia were classified into two groups: ۱۵۰ patients in the control group, treated with standard treatment, and ۱۵۰ patients in the case group, that treated with intravenous Tocilizumab in addition to those treatments. Prognostic factors such as the hospitalization period, need for mechanical ventilation, and the patient's discharge condition were investigated. Results: Effect of Tocilizumab on outcomes of COVID-۱۹ patients, like demanding mechanical ventilation, and length of hospitalization in the case group, despite the presence of poor biological symptoms such as severe lymphopenia in admission, show a significant difference in comparison to the control group. Tocilizumab does not affect the patient's discharge condition and the mortality rate. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that Tocilizumab, despite the lack of an apparent effect on the outcome of the COVID-۱۹ disease (recovery or death), reduced length of hospitalization and the necessity for mechanical ventilation and can be used as an alternative therapy with other treatments.

کلیدواژه ها:

COVID-۱۹ ، Prognosis ، Interleukin-۶ ، Iran ، Tocilizumab ، توسیلیزوماب ، کووید-۱۹ ، پیش آگهی ، اینترلوکین-۶ ، ایران