Efficacy of Early Administration of Tocilizumab in COVID-19 Patients

An Open-label Randomized Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Early Administration of Tocilizumab (TCZ) in Patients With COVID-19 Pneumonia

The clinical study aims at assessing whether early administration of Tocilizumab compared to late administration of Tocilizumab can reduce the number of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who require mechanical ventilation. The clinical study includes patients with recent-onset COVID-19 pneumonia who require hospital care, but not invasive or semi-invasive mechanical ventilation procedures.

Inclusion Criteria:

• age > 18 years
• Informed consent for participation in the study
• Real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnosis of Sars-CoV2 infection
• Hospitalization due to clinical / instrumental diagnosis (high resolution chest CT scan or chest x-ray or pulmonary ultrasound)
• Presence of acute respiratory distress syndrome with arterial partial pressure of oxygen / fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2 / FiO2) between 200 and 300 mm/Hg
• Presence of exaggerated inflammatory response defined by the presence of at least 1 of the following criteria:
• At least one body temperature measurement >38° C in the past two days;
• Serum CRP greater than or equal to 10 mg/dl;
• CRP increase of at least twice the basal value

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with respiratory distress syndrome with arterial partial pressure of oxygen / fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2 / FiO2) <200 mm/Hg or
• Patients in non-invasive ventilation or
• Patients in invasive ventilation or presence of shock or presence of concomitant organ failure that requires admission to the Intensive Care Unit
• Severe heart and kidney failure
• Pregnant or breastfeeding patient
• Patient who, in the opinion of the clinician or by the patient's express will, will not go to intensive care regardless of the evolution of the lung picture.
• Known hypersensitivity to TCZ or its excipients
• Patient being treated with immuno-depressors or anti-rejection drugs
• Known active infections or other clinical conditions that contraindicate TCZ and cannot be treated or resolved according to the physician's judgment
• glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) or glutamine oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) > 5 times the upper limit of the norm
• Neutrophils <500 /mmc
• Platelets <50.000 /mmc
• Diverticulitis or intestinal perforation
• Suspicion of latent tuberculosis