DEXamethasone EARLY Administration in Hospitalized Patients With Covid-19 Pneumonia
Summary
The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of dexamethasone in hospitalized adults with COVID-19 pneumonia who do not require supplementary oxygen on admission, but have high risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This is a prospective, multicenter, phase 4, parallel-group, randomized and controlled trial that is open-label to investigators, participants and clinical outcome assessors. Eligible participants include adults (age 18 years or older), diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, evidence of infiltrates on chest radiography or computerized tomography, peripheral capillary oxygen saturation ≥94% and 22 breaths per minute breathing room air, and high risk of developing ARDS defined by a lactate dehydrogenase higher than 245 U/L, C-Reactive Protein higher than 100 mg/L, and absolute lymphocytes lower than 800 cells/µL. Eligible participants will meet two of the three before analytical criteria associated with severe COVID-19. Patients will provide written informed consent. Exclusion criteria include patients with a history of allergy to dexamethasone, pregnant or lactating women, oral or inhaled corticosteroids treatment within 15 days before randomization, immunosuppressive agent or cytotoxic drug therapy within 30 days before randomization, neutropenia \<1000 cells/µL, human immunodeficiency virus infection with CD4 cell counts \<500 cells within 90 days after randomization, dementia, chronic liver disease defined by ALT or AST ≥5 times the upper limit of normal, chronic kidney injury defined by a glomerular filtration rate ≤30 ml/min, hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, uncontrolled infection, and patients who are already enrolled in another clinical trial. Study participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive dexamethasone base 6 mg once daily for seven days or standard of care. The primary endpoint is to prevent of development of moderate ARDS. Based on the Berlin criteria, moderate ARDS is defined by a PaO2/FiO2 ratio \>100 mmHg and ≤200 mmHg. Study participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive dexamethasone versus standard of care using a randomization platform. Included participants will be hospitalized at the time of randomization. The study will be undertaken at Infanta Leonor-Virgen de la Torre University Hospital, Enfermera Isabel Zendal Emergency Hospital, and Infanta Cristina Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
Timeline
- Start
- 2021-06-10
- Primary completion
- 2023-02-28
- Completion
- 2023-03-30
Outcome
Missed primary endpoint
paper CONCLUSION: In patients with COVID-19 pneumonia without oxygen needs but at risk of progressing to severe disease, early dexamethasone administration did not lead to a decrease in ARDS development. PMID 39086948 ↗
Publications
- Results Yang X, Yu Y, Xu J, Shu H, Xia J, Liu H, Wu Y, Zhang L, Yu Z, Fang M, Yu T, Wang Y, Pan S, Zou X, Yuan S, Shang Y. Clinical course and outcomes of critically ill patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a single-centered, retrospective, observational study. Lancet Respir Med. 2020 May;8(5):475-481. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30079-5. Epub 2020 Feb 24.
- Results Siddiqi HK, Mehra MR. COVID-19 illness in native and immunosuppressed states: A clinical-therapeutic staging proposal. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2020 May;39(5):405-407. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2020.03.012. Epub 2020 Mar 20. No abstract available.
- Results Chen G, Wu D, Guo W, Cao Y, Huang D, Wang H, Wang T, Zhang X, Chen H, Yu H, Zhang X, Zhang M, Wu S, Song J, Chen T, Han M, Li S, Luo X, Zhao J, Ning Q. Clinical and immunological features of severe and moderate coronavirus disease 2019. J Clin Invest. 2020 May 1;130(5):2620-2629. doi: 10.1172/JCI137244.
- Results RECOVERY Collaborative Group; Horby P, Lim WS, Emberson JR, Mafham M, Bell JL, Linsell L, Staplin N, Brightling C, Ustianowski A, Elmahi E, Prudon B, Green C, Felton T, Chadwick D, Rege K, Fegan C, Chappell LC, Faust SN, Jaki T, Jeffery K, Montgomery A, Rowan K, Juszczak E, Baillie JK, Haynes R, Landray MJ. Dexamethasone in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2021 Feb 25;384(8):693-704. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2021436. Epub 2020 Jul 17.
- Results WHO/2019-nCoV/Corticosteroids/2020.1
- Results Baud D, Qi X, Nielsen-Saines K, Musso D, Pomar L, Favre G. Real estimates of mortality following COVID-19 infection. Lancet Infect Dis. 2020 Jul;20(7):773. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30195-X. Epub 2020 Mar 12. No abstract available.
- Results Monedero P, Gea A, Castro P, Candela-Toha AM, Hernandez-Sanz ML, Arruti E, Villar J, Ferrando C; COVID-19 Spanish ICU Network. Early corticosteroids are associated with lower mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19: a cohort study. Crit Care. 2021 Jan 4;25(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s13054-020-03422-3.
- Results Fadel R, Morrison AR, Vahia A, Smith ZR, Chaudhry Z, Bhargava P, Miller J, Kenney RM, Alangaden G, Ramesh MS; Henry Ford COVID-19 Management Task Force. Early Short-Course Corticosteroids in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19. Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Nov 19;71(16):2114-2120. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa601.
- Results Zhou F, Yu T, Du R, Fan G, Liu Y, Liu Z, Xiang J, Wang Y, Song B, Gu X, Guan L, Wei Y, Li H, Wu X, Xu J, Tu S, Zhang Y, Chen H, Cao B. Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet. 2020 Mar 28;395(10229):1054-1062. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30566-3. Epub 2020 Mar 11.
- Results Ruan Q, Yang K, Wang W, Jiang L, Song J. Clinical predictors of mortality due to COVID-19 based on an analysis of data of 150 patients from Wuhan, China. Intensive Care Med. 2020 May;46(5):846-848. doi: 10.1007/s00134-020-05991-x. Epub 2020 Mar 3. No abstract available.
- Results Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Zhao J, Hu Y, Zhang L, Fan G, Xu J, Gu X, Cheng Z, Yu T, Xia J, Wei Y, Wu W, Xie X, Yin W, Li H, Liu M, Xiao Y, Gao H, Guo L, Xie J, Wang G, Jiang R, Gao Z, Jin Q, Wang J, Cao B. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet. 2020 Feb 15;395(10223):497-506. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5. Epub 2020 Jan 24.
- Results Guan WJ, Ni ZY, Hu Y, Liang WH, Ou CQ, He JX, Liu L, Shan H, Lei CL, Hui DSC, Du B, Li LJ, Zeng G, Yuen KY, Chen RC, Tang CL, Wang T, Chen PY, Xiang J, Li SY, Wang JL, Liang ZJ, Peng YX, Wei L, Liu Y, Hu YH, Peng P, Wang JM, Liu JY, Chen Z, Li G, Zheng ZJ, Qiu SQ, Luo J, Ye CJ, Zhu SY, Zhong NS; China Medical Treatment Expert Group for Covid-19. Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China. N Engl J Med. 2020 Apr 30;382(18):1708-1720. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2002032. Epub 2020 Feb 28.
- Franco-Moreno A, Acedo-Gutierrez MS, Casado-Suela MA, Labrador-San Martin N, de Carranza-Lopez M, Ibanez-Estellez F, Hernandez-Blanco C, Jimenez-Torres J, Vallejo-Maroto I, Romero-Pareja R, Pena-Lillo G, Escobar-Rodriguez I, Torres-Macho J; EARLY-DEX COVID-19 Research Group. Effect of early administration of dexamethasone in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia without acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and risk of development of acute respiratory distress syndrome: EARLY-DEX COVID-19 trial. Front Med (Lausanne). 2024 Jul 17;11:1385833. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1385833. eCollection 2024.
- Franco-Moreno A, Acedo-Gutierrez MS, Martin NL, Hernandez-Blanco C, Rodriguez-Olleros C, Ibanez-Estellez F, Suarez-Simon A, Balado-Rico M, Romero-Paternina AR, Alonso-Menchen D, Escolano-Fernandez B, Piniella-Ruiz E, Alonso-Monge E, Notario-Leo H, Bibiano-Guillen C, Pena-Lillo G, Antiqueira-Perez A, Romero-Pareja R, Cabello-Clotet N, Estrada-Perez V, Troya-Garcia J, de Carranza-Lopez M, Escobar-Rodriguez I, Vallejo-Maroto N, Torres-Macho J. Effect of EARLY administration of DEXamethasone in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia without acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and risk of development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (EARLY-DEX COVID-19): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2022 Sep 15;23(1):784. doi: 10.1186/s13063-022-06722-x.
Drugs
| Evaluation | Drug | Modality | Dose | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Dexamethasone | Small molecule | 6 mg | Oral |