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Närhi F, Moonesinghe SR, Shenkin SD, Drake TM, Mulholland RH, Donegan C, Dunning J, Fairfield CJ, Girvan M, Hardwick HE, Ho A, Leeming G, Nguyen-Van-Tam JS, Pius R, Russell CD, Shaw CA, Spencer RG, Turtle L, Openshaw PJM, Baillie JK, Harrison EM, Semple MG, Docherty AB. Implementation of corticosteroids in treatment of COVID-19 in the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK: prospective, cohort study. Lancet Digit Health 2022; 4:e220-e234. [PMID: 35337642 PMCID: PMC8940185 DOI: 10.1016/s2589-7500(22)00018-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dexamethasone was the first intervention proven to reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19 being treated in hospital. We aimed to evaluate the adoption of corticosteroids in the treatment of COVID-19 in the UK after the RECOVERY trial publication on June 16, 2020, and to identify discrepancies in care. METHODS We did an audit of clinical implementation of corticosteroids in a prospective, observational, cohort study in 237 UK acute care hospitals between March 16, 2020, and April 14, 2021, restricted to patients aged 18 years or older with proven or high likelihood of COVID-19, who received supplementary oxygen. The primary outcome was administration of dexamethasone, prednisolone, hydrocortisone, or methylprednisolone. This study is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN66726260. FINDINGS Between June 17, 2020, and April 14, 2021, 47 795 (75·2%) of 63 525 of patients on supplementary oxygen received corticosteroids, higher among patients requiring critical care than in those who received ward care (11 185 [86·6%] of 12 909 vs 36 415 [72·4%] of 50 278). Patients 50 years or older were significantly less likely to receive corticosteroids than those younger than 50 years (adjusted odds ratio 0·79 [95% CI 0·70-0·89], p=0·0001, for 70-79 years; 0·52 [0·46-0·58], p<0·0001, for >80 years), independent of patient demographics and illness severity. 84 (54·2%) of 155 pregnant women received corticosteroids. Rates of corticosteroid administration increased from 27·5% in the week before June 16, 2020, to 75-80% in January, 2021. INTERPRETATION Implementation of corticosteroids into clinical practice in the UK for patients with COVID-19 has been successful, but not universal. Patients older than 70 years, independent of illness severity, chronic neurological disease, and dementia, were less likely to receive corticosteroids than those who were younger, as were pregnant women. This could reflect appropriate clinical decision making, but the possibility of inequitable access to life-saving care should be considered. FUNDING UK National Institute for Health Research and UK Medical Research Council.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiina Närhi
- College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - S Ramani Moonesinghe
- Department for Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK; Health Services Research Centre, National Institute for Academic Anaesthesia, Royal College of Anaesthetists, London, UK
| | | | - Thomas M Drake
- Centre for Medical Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Cara Donegan
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jake Dunning
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Michelle Girvan
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Hayley E Hardwick
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Antonia Ho
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Gary Leeming
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jonathan S Nguyen-Van-Tam
- Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK; UK Department of Health and Social Care, Field Epidemiology Service, London, UK
| | - Riinu Pius
- Centre for Medical Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Clark D Russell
- Usher Institute, Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Catherine A Shaw
- Centre for Medical Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Lance Turtle
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | | | - Ewen M Harrison
- Centre for Medical Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Malcolm G Semple
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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