Rev Esp Quimioter 2021; 34(4): 337-341

Experience with the use of siltuximab in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection

FERNANDA MEIRA, LAIA ALBIACH, CRISTINA CARBONELL, JOSÉ-ÁNGEL MARTÍN-OTERINO, MERCEDES MARTÍN-ORDIALES, LAURA LINARES, IRENE MACAYA, DAIANA AGÜERO, JUAN AMBROSIONI, MARTA BODRO, CELIA CARDOZO, MARIANA CHUMBITA, LORENA DE LA MORA, NICOLE GARCÍA-POUTON, CAROLINA GARCIA-VIDAL, ANA GONZÁLEZ-CORDÓN, MARTA HERNÁNDEZ-MENESES, ALEXY INCIARTE, MONTSERRAT LAGUNO, LORNA LEAL, LAURA MORATA, PEDRO PUERTA-ALCALDE, VERÓNICA RICO, LAURA LETONA, ALBERTO CÓZAR-LLISTÓ, GERARD DUEÑAS, MONTSERRAT SOLÁ, BERTA TORRES, JHON ROJAS, ANTONIO MORENO, ESTELA MORENO-GARCÍA, MANUEL TORRES, JOSÉ A MARTÍNEZ, ALEX SORIANO, FELIPE GARCÍA

Published: 13 May 2021

http://www.doi.org/10.37201/req/045.2021

Objectives. The study aims to describe characteristics and clinical outcome of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection that received siltuximab according to a protocol that aimed to early block the activity of IL-6 to avoid the progression of the inflammatory flare.
Patients and methods. Retrospective review of the first 31 patients with SARS-CoV-2 treated with siltuximab, in Hospital Clinic of Barcelona or Hospital Universitario Salamanca, from March to April 2020 with positive polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab.
Results. The cohort included 31 cases that received siltuximab with a median (IQR) age of 62 (56-71) and 71% were males. The most frequent comorbidity was hypertension (48%). The median dose of siltuximab was 800 mg ranging between 785 and 900 mg. 7 patients received siltuximab as a salvage therapy after one dose of tocilizumab. At the end of the study, a total of 26 (83.9) patients had been discharged alive and the mortality rate was 16.1% but only 1 out of 24 that received siltuximab as a first line option (4%).
Conclusions. Siltuximab is a well-tolerated alternative to tocilizumab when administered as a first line option in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia within the first 10 days from symptoms onset and high C-reactive protein.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2021; 34(4): 337-341 [Full-text PDF]