Remdesivir, hydroxy chloroquine, dexamethasone is a complicated name for already approved medicines, which are valid in the Corona-pandemic suddenly as a kind of miracle cure.
The mechanisms in this Corona-crisis is always the same: a research institution, announced preliminary promising results on a web page and written a press release, the media jump on it, experts or even the President to Express to the people around the world in the pharmacies, buy, and swallow preparation, the supposed Miracle.
Then the world has the opportunity to see the results and verify. It follows disillusionment, or a clarification of the conditions under which the product actually has a effectiveness, and what part devastating side effects it can cause.
What is the meaning of the new dexamethasone-study?
The few data that are known so far, originating from a so-called Recovery Trial in the UK. In the study, scientists investigate the Suitability of already approved drugs as a means of counter-COVID-19. In total, more than 11,500 patients from over 175 clinics in the United Kingdom were included in the study.
The dexamethasone part of the study included, therefore, 2104 patients were given for ten days once a day 6 milligrams of dexamethasone. 4321 patients served as a control group.
the preliminary results of The still unpublished clinical study indicates that dexamethasone could reduce the mortality rate in severe COVID-19-gradients. In the case of the ventilated patients, the mortality rate fell by a third compared to the control group. In the case of the patient, the oxygen got, but not artificially ventilated, it decreased by a fifth. In the patients, which required no oxygen, showed that treatment with dexamethasone has no effect.
Starting immediately, the UK will use the active ingredient dexamethasone for the treatment of Corona patients.
How dexamethasone acts?
At COVID-19-Partieten with severe forms of the disease it often leads to an Overreaction of the immune system. The active ingredient dexamethasone is an artificial, potent Corticosteroid, which has anti-inflammatory and have a dampening effect on the immune system. So inflammation is stopped processes and immune reactions are suppressed.
The active ingredient dexamethasone, is already known for a long time, and is included in many medicines. Dexamethasone is according to the world well available and cheap. It is used usually in inflammatory diseases of the skin (eczema) and joints (Arthritis), brain tumors out of the brain caused edema and for the prevention of Nausea and vomiting in the context of a cancer treatment.
How do the experts rate the results?
To Dexammethason Hype has certainly helped, too, that the WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has hailed the messages as a “breakthrough” in the fight against Covid-19. “I congratulate the government of the United Kingdom, the University of Oxford, as well as the many hospitals and patients in the United Kingdom, who have contributed to this life-saving scientific breakthrough.”
Really reliable statements, however, can make so far, no scientists of the “new wonder drug” dexamethasone. The drug is known for a long time, but the efficacy in the treatment of COVID-19-patients has not been studied.
this time there is no scientific publication, and the results of the “Recovery”study have not yet been examined by any other experts. Instead, the British scientists have presented the first results on a web page for the study.
see also: Corona research: Good things come to those (W)parts have
Express According to cautiously optimistic German experts compared to the Science Media centre to the few data that are already available. “The results fit very well into our current notion that in the late course of the COVID-19-disease is an Overreaction of the immune system plays a crucial role. The results – which are published in full, must wait and see – in favour of Corticosteroids in severe cases of infection with SARS-CoV-2”, Prof. Dr. Gerd Fätkenheuer, the head of infectious diseases at the University hospital of Cologne.
Similarly, it looks also to Prof. Dr. Maria J. G. T. Vehreschild,the Director of the center of gravity of infectious diseases at the University hospital of the Goethe-University of Frankfurt: “cortisone is a classic approach to treatment, the immune system to suppress. Surprisingly, the strength of the demonstrated effect is.” Prof. Vehreschild limits: “However, the original data is not available to me at the Moment. A final statement on the quality, you can meet only if they were thoroughly sifted.”
Prof. Dr. Clemens Wendtner, chief of infectious diseases and tropical medicine in Munich, clinic Schwabing, also stresses that it makes no sense, dexamethasone as a prophylaxis or for mild symptoms take, because only severely symptomatic patients who had required a stay in hospital, were treated.
How does this help the study in the treatment of COVID-19-patients?
Prof. Dr. Clemens Wendtner, and also Prof. Dr. Bernd Salzberger, the President of the German society for infectiology, see in the study despite the many question marks, important information for the treatment of COVID-19-patients.
could look like this: “as much as Possible early use of Antivirals such as Remdesivir in the case of artificially ventilated patients, viral load reduction, and administration of steroids on respiratory agents COVID-19-patients in order to control a severe lung disease,” said Turner. “Remdesivir to combat the Virus, dexamethasone, the excessive inflammation,” summarizes Prof. Dr. Bernd salzberger.
However, one should not overrate the importance of the WHO as a “breakthrough,” the celebrated results of the dexamethasone also. “In view of the overall, only a small, albeit significant, reducing the mortality rate caused by steroids is the best medicine remains the prevention of the COVID-19-disease by an effective vaccine,” reported Prof. Dr. Clemens Wendtner.
author: Alexander friend
*The post “COVID-19: The Hype of dexamethasone” is published by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.
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