Breakthrough: Treatment with dexamethasone saves one third of most severe COVID cases

According to a UK-led clinical trial known as RECOVERY, dexamethasone has been found to save the lives of one-third of the most serious COVID-19 cases. On June 16, a “major breakthrough" finding revealed that the drug, widely available at pharmacies, had a promising impact on coronavirus patients with symptoms of respiratory distress, researchers at the University of Oxford said in a statement.

More than 2,000 severely ill COVID-19 patients were administered with the dosage, which included COVID-19 patients who could only breathe with the help of a ventilator, as per the study. Amongst those, it was found that the dexamethasone steroid reduced deaths by 35 percent, further, patients on supplement oxygen were saved by a fifth, according to preliminary results. According to the researchers, the daily doses of dexamethasone could prevent the deaths among one in eight ventilated patients and might save the life of a patient out of total 25 patients that might be in need of a ventilator or intubation due to respiratory issues, the team said, as per the reports. However, a group of 4,000 patients who did not receive the dosage of the drug had worsening symptoms, scientists reported.  

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This is the most important trial result for COVID-19 so far, England's Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty said on Twitter about the findings of the UK-led clinical trial known as RECOVERY. Significant reduction in mortality in those requiring oxygen or ventilation from a widely available, safe, and well-known drug. It will save lives around the world, he added.  

First drug that “improves survival in COVID-19"

While England's Chief Medical Officer hailed the finding as to the most important trial result so far, as scientists seek effective treatments for coronavirus, professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Peter Horby, reportedly called the drug as first to “improve survival in COVID-19". Further, he was quoted saying that the drug Dexamethasone was inexpensive, on the shelf, and could be used immediately to save lives worldwide. 

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(Image Credit: AP)