Is There Still a Place for Tocilizumab in Coronavirus Disease 2019?

Systematic Review and Subgroup Meta-analysis of Randomized Trials to Determine Tocilizumab's Place in COVID-19 Pneumonia

Introduction

Tocilizumab randomized clinical trial results are heterogeneous because of the heterogenous population included in them.

Methods

We conducted a meta-analysis with subgroup meta-analysis (PRISMA guidelines) between severe and non-severe COVID-19.

Results

We included nine trials. Overall, the mortality rate was 24.5% (821/3357) in the tocilizumab group and 29.1% (908/3125) in the control group at day 28–30 (pooled OR, 0.85; 95% CI 0.76–0.96; p = 0.006). Considering the subgroup analysis, this benefit on mortality was confirmed and amplified in the severe COVID-19 group (pooled OR, 0.82; 95% CI 0.73–0.93; p = 0.001) but not in the non-severe COVID-19 group (pooled OR, 1.46; 95% CI 0.91–2.34; p = 0.12). For patients who were not mechanically ventilated at baseline (5523/6482), the pooled OR (0.74; 95% CI 0.64–0.85; p < 0.0001) for mechanical ventilation incidence at day 28–30 was in favor of tocilizumab (cumulative incidence of 14.8% versus 19.4% in tocilizumab and control arm, respectively). This benefit was confirmed in both subgroups, i.e., severe and non-severe COVID-19.

Conclusion

Tocilizumab is an effective treatment in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and hypoxemia by improving survival and decreasing mechanical ventilation requirement. The greatest benefit is observed in severe COVID-19.

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

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.