Tocilizumab in COVID-19 pneumonia: Practical proposals based on a narrative review of randomised trials

Abstract

In this article, we express our opinion about tocilizumab as an effective treatment in coronavirus disease 2019, based on a narrative review and a deep analysis of tocilizumab randomised trial results. Eight trials were included. No one was in favour for controlled arm about main endpoint of death or mechanical ventilation incidence at day 28–30. Five trials on heterogenous populations seem to not demonstrate tocilizumab efficacy, but showed encouraging results in subgroup analysis on severe/critical patients (in favour for tocilizumab). Trials on severe/critical COVID-19 pneumonia as REMAP-CAP and RECOVERY showed mortality benefit of tocilizumab administration; CORIMUNO, REMAP-CAP and RECOVERY showed that tocilizumab decreased the incidence of mechanical ventilation. No safety signal about tocilizumab used was noticed in all trials. We concluded that tocilizumab reduces mortality and mechanical ventilation requirement if administered with the right timing in COVID-19 pneumonia. The challenge now is to define the optimal group and timing for tocilizumab benefit and we suggest that: (i) tocilizumab has a place in treatment of severe/critical COVID-19 pneumonia, with a high level of O2 flow or noninvasive ventilation or high flow nasal cannula; (ii) possibly early after intubation in patients on mechanical ventilation. Initiating tocilizumab in critically ill patients early before irreversible respiratory failure, especially in patients at an inflammatory stage could be the key to successful outcome.