Long-term effect of tocilizumab on mortality, readmissions, persistent symptoms and lung function in SARS-CoV-2 patients 1 year after hospital discharge: A matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Tocilizumab is presumed to be an effective and safe treatment for severe SARS-Cov-2, but its usefulness has not been investigated yet for long-term outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of tocilizumab on mortality in patients with SARS-CoV-2 throughout the year following discharge. METHODS: A retrospective observational analysis was performed on electronic medical records of patients with SARS-CoV2 who were discharged from our hospital after surviving the first wave in March-April 2020. Logistic regression was used to analyse the effect of tocilizumab on mortality, as the main outcome, and propensity-score analysis to further validate their effect. Secondary outcomes were readmissions, persistent symptoms and lung function evolution. Patients were selected by matching their individual propensity for receiving therapy with tocilizumab, conditional on their demographic and clinical variables. RESULTS: A total of 405 patients were included in the mortality study (33.6 % were treated with tocilizumab) and 390 were included in the assessment of persistent symptoms. After propensity-score analysis, no association between tocilizumab use and 1-year overall mortality was found (HR= 2.05, 95 % CI: 0.21-19.98). No differences regarding persistent symptoms (OR= 1.01 95 %CI 0.57-1.79), nor lung function parameters (forced vital capacity: coefficient -0.16 95 %CI -0.45 to 0.14) were found throughout the year follow-up between control and tocilizumab group. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of tocilizumab in patients with SARS-CoV-2 did not show any effect on long-term mortality. Identically, no association were found regarding readmissions, persistent symptoms or lung function evolution and tocilizumab administration in our cohort of patients after 1 year follow-up.

Effect of tocilizumab versus standard of care in adults hospitalized with moderate-severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Tocilizumab is an interleukin-6 receptor-blocking agent proposed for the treatment of severe COVID-19; however, limited data are available on their efficacy. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of tocilizumab on the outcomes of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia by using propensity-score-matching (PSM) analysis. METHODS: A retrospective observational analysis of hospitalized COVID-19 adult patients admitted to the Vall d'Hebron Hospital was performed between March and April 2020. We used the logistic regression to analyze the effect of tocilizumab on mortality, as main outcome, and PSM analysis to further validate their effect. Secondary outcomes were length-of-stay (LOS) and intensive-care-unit (ICU) stay. Same outcomes were also assessed for early tocilizumab administration, within 72h after admission. Patients were selected by matching their individual propensity for receiving therapy with tocilizumab, conditional on their demographic and clinical variables. RESULTS: A total of 544 COVID-19 patients were included, 197 (36.2%) were treated with tocilizumab of whom 147 were treated within the first 72h after admission; and 347 were included in the control group. After PSM analyses, the results showed no association between tocilizumab use and overall mortality (OR=1.03, 95%CI: 0.63-1.68). However, shorter ICU-stay in the tocilizumab group was found compared to the control group (Coefficient -4.27 95%CI: -6.63 to -1.92). Similar results were found in the early tocilizumab cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of tocilizumab in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 did not reduce the risk of mortality in our cohort of patients, regardless of the time of administration.

Effect of tocilizumab versus standard of care in adults hospitalized with moderate-severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Introduction and objectives: Tocilizumab is an interleukin-6 receptor-blocking agent proposed for the treatment of severe COVID-19; however, limited data are available on their efficacy. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of tocilizumab on the outcomes of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia by using propensity-score-matching (PSM) analysis. Methods: A retrospective observational analysis of hospitalized COVID-19 adult patients admitted to the Vall d'Hebron Hospital was performed between March and April 2020. We used the logistic regression to analyze the effect of tocilizumab on mortality, as main outcome, and PSM analysis to further validate their effect. Secondary outcomes were length-of-stay (LOS) and intensive-care-unit (ICU) stay. Same outcomes were also assessed for early tocilizumab administration, within 72 h after admission. Patients were selected by matching their individual propensity for receiving therapy with tocilizumab, conditional on their demographic and clinical variables. Results: A total of 544 COVID-19 patients were included, 197 (36.2%) were treated with tocilizumab of whom 147 were treated within the first 72 h after admission; and 347 were included in the control group. After PSM analyses, the results showed no association between tocilizumab use and overall mortality (OR = 1.03, 95%CI: 0.63-1.68). However, shorter ICU-stay in the tocilizumab group was found compared to the control group (Coefficient -4.27 95%CI: -6.63 to -1.92). Similar results were found in the early tocilizumab cohort. Conclusions: The administration of tocilizumab in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 did not reduce the risk of mortality in our cohort of patients, regardless of the time of administration.

Introducción y objetivos: El tocilizumab es un agente bloqueador del receptor de la interleucina 6 propuesto para el tratamiento de la COVID-19 grave; sin embargo, se dispone de datos limitados sobre su eficacia. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el efecto de tocilizumab en los resultados de los pacientes con neumonía por COVID-19 mediante un análisis de emparejamiento por propensity-score-matching (PSM, «puntuación de propensión¼). Métodos: Se realizó un análisis observacional retrospectivo de los pacientes adultos con COVID-19 ingresados en el Hospital Vall d'Hebron entre marzo y abril de 2020. Se utilizó la regresión logística para analizar el efecto de tocilizumab en la mortalidad, como resultado principal, y el análisis PSM para validar aún más su efecto. Los resultados secundarios fueron la duración de la estancia y la estancia en la unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI). También se evaluaron los mismos resultados para la administración temprana de tocilizumab, dentro de las 72 h posteriores al ingreso. Los pacientes se seleccionaron mediante el emparejamiento de su propensión individual a recibir tratamiento con tocilizumab, condicionado a sus variables demográficas y clínicas. Resultados: Se incluyeron 544 pacientes de COVID-19, 197 (36,2%) fueron tratados con tocilizumab, de los cuales 147 fueron tratados dentro de las primeras 72 h tras el ingreso; y 347 fueron incluidos en el grupo control. Tras los análisis PSM, los resultados no mostraron ninguna asociación entre el uso de tocilizumab y la mortalidad global (OR = 1,03; IC del 95%: 0,63-1,68). Sin embargo, se encontró una menor estancia en la UCI en el grupo de tocilizumab en comparación con el grupo de control (coeficiente −4,27; IC del 95%: −6,63 − −1,92). Se encontraron resultados similares en la cohorte de tocilizumab temprano. Conclusiones: La administración de tocilizumab en pacientes con COVID-19 moderada a grave no redujo el riesgo de mortalidad en nuestra cohorte de pacientes, independientemente del momento de la administración.

[Therapy adherence to immunomodulator treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis]. / Adhesion terapeutica a tratamiento inmunomodulador de pacientes con esclerosis multiple.

INTRODUCTION: Immunomodulator treatment modifies the course of the disease in patients with multiple sclerosis. The patient's adequate adherence with the treatment regimen is absolutely essential. AIMS: To determine the real adherence with first-line immunomodulator treatment and to try to find out what factors may influence adequate adherence with the treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted an observation-based, retrospective, longitudinal study of the patients being followed up by the Centre d'Esclerosi Multiple de Catalunya at the Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron that were given first-line immunomodulator treatment (interferons or glatiramer acetate) between 1st January 2010 and 30th September 2011. Adherence was measured using the medication possession ratio (MPR): patients with an MPR above or equal to 80% were considered to be compliers. RESULTS: We studied 975 patients. The mean time of exposure to immunomodulators over the collected period was 13.4 ± 7.1 years. Altogether 85.2% of patients complied with the immunomodulator treatment adequately. Of a total of 975 patients treated, 134 needed to change to a second drug and 12 patients had to go on to a third. Changing the medication improved adherence (p = 0.001). The annual rate of attacks was 0.23. Only the presence of attacks (p = 0.029) and the drug used (p = 0.044) had any influence on treatment adherence, on an individual basis. CONCLUSIONS: The percentage of patients with adequate treatment adherence in our centre is high. The rate of attacks and the drug used play a decisive role. Close monitoring and personalised counselling are required to maintain good therapeutic adherence.