Combination Therapy of High-dose Intravenous Anakinra and Baricitinib in
Patients with Critical COVID-19: Promising Results from Retrospective
Observational Study
Abstract
Background: The leading cause in COVID-19 patients is
development of cytokine storm . Material and Methods: This
study was conducted in a tertiary center with diagnosis of COVID-19
patients. Clinical and laboratory features of patients were obtained
from their medical cards and hospital software system and evaluated by
retrospectively. Statistical analysis: In
our study, 21.0 version (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) of the SPSS (Statistical
Package for the Social Sciences) program was used for statistical
analysis of data. Descriptive statistics, discrete and continuous
numerical variables were expressed as mean, ± standard deviation or
median and interquartile range (IQR). Categorical variables were
expressed as number of cases and (%). Cross table statistics were used
to compare categorical variables (Chi-Square, Fisher exact test).
Normally distributed parametric data were compared with Student’s t-test
and Paired t-test; non-parametric data that did not meet normal
distribution were compared with Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests.
Multiple intergroup comparisons were made by Post Hoc Tukey analysis.
Kaplan-Meier and log-rank methods were used for survival analysis.
Multivariable analysis was performed by using logistic regression.
Correlation analysis was performed with Pearson or Spearman method
according to normality distribution. p<0.05 value was
considered statistically significant. Results: Data of 15
patients in combination group and 43 patients in control group were
evaluated and included into the study. Of these patients 73.3% was male
in combination arm and 72.1% in control group (p=0.9). Demographic
findings and frequency of comorbidities were similar between two groups
(table 1). Overall mortality was 46.7% (n=7) in combination arm and
69.8% (n=30) in control group although it was not statistically
significant (p=0.1). Similarly, need of intubation was also lower in
combination arm (46.7%) compared to control group (69.8%), it was not
significantly different (p=0.1). ICU admission was significantly lower
in combination (46.7%, n=7) arm than control group (76.7%, n=33)
(p=0.03, Odds ratio [OR]:4.7). Development of severe infection
(20%, n=3 vs 25%, n=9/36), pulmonary embolism (6.7%, n=1 vs 0),
myocardial infarction (6.7%, n=1 vs 2.6%, n=1/38) and pneumothorax
(13.3%, n=2 vs 2.6%, n=1/38) were not different between two groups
(p=0.7, p=0.3, p=0.5 and p=0.2). In multivariable analysis only cHIS
score was associated with high mortality (p=0.018, OR:2.8, [95%
confidence interval: 1.2-6.6]). In survival analysis, mortality rate
was significantly lower in combination arm than control group
(Log-Rank:p=0.04;figure 1). In conclusion, combination therapy of
high-dose anakinra and baricitinib may be an adequate treatment option
in patients with COVID-19 who had critical disease and no additional
safety signal.