Safety and Effectiveness Study of Tocilizumab in Patients With Severe COVID-19

Since the appearence of the disease today known as COVID-19 there has been multiple interventions to try to gain knowledge on the subject and obtain a benefitial effect treating this condition. Tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting IL-6 receptor has arised as an alternative for the treament of COVID-19 pneumonia. It is a drug used for the treatment of rhemautoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases as well as approved in recent years for the treatment of the cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in CAR-T therapy. It is based in this last premise that the benefitial effect on COVID-19 pneumonia has been sought of. According to investigation into the physiopathology of the virus, it is supposed to trigger the inflamattory cascade that generates damage to lungs and creates the most severe cases of the disease. These findings could imply that tocilizumab may serve to interrupt this cytokine storm and prevent the progression of the disease. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of tocilizumab in the treatment of severe cases of COVID-19. For that purpose, an observational retrospective cohort study has been designed comparing two populations that share the same indication for the treatment with tocilizumab. One having received the drug and the other in a close previous period of time that has not received it because of lack of availability or generalisation of its use. Mortality will be assesed as well as other variables such as need for mechanical ventilation and adverse effects of tocilizumab.