565 - Tocilizumab Use in COVID-19: Act(emra) to Inhibit Intubation and Decompensation

Background: Tocilizumab is an IL-6 receptor inhibitor that has been utilized for the prevention and treatment of the cytokine storm inflammatory reaction in COVID-19. The objectives of this analysis were to evaluate clinical outcomes of tocilizumab treatment in relation to respiratory status improvements and to analyze the association between initial inflammatory markers and treatment outcomes.

Methods: IRB approved retrospective chart review of adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 treated with tocilizumab from March- May 2020. Data collection focused on relevant past medical history, hematologic and inflammatory markers before and after tocilizumab administration, concomitant COVID-19 treatments, and disease outcomes such as mortality and discharge. Assessed baseline characteristics and treatment outcomes in patients who received tocilizumab prior to intubation versus after intubation, and evaluated for any significant markers of treatment success and failure.

Results: 84 patients were evaluated. Baseline characteristics did not vary between intubated and not intubated patients (Figure 1). Overall mortality in patients who received an IL-6 inhibitor was 43%. Mortality in patients who received IL-6 inhibitor when intubated (63%) compared to patients who were not intubated (26%) was significantly higher (p = 0.005). Patients with BMI’s of 30 or above and patients with diabetes had a higher rate of treatment failure (p < 0.05) (Figure 2). Patients with IL-6 levels of 1000 or above had higher rates of treatment failure (p = 0.0001); however, given the small sample size larger studies are required for further analysis (Figure 3).Baseline Characteristics by Respiratory Status Pre-Tocilizumab Administration
Subgroup Analysis
Outcome by Baseline IL-6 Levels


Conclusion: Overall mortality in our patients was 43%; however, our sample size was small and the study did not have a control group to fully assess treatment success or failure. Comorbidities such as diabetes and obesity, and elevated IL-6 levels were associated with significantly higher rates of treatment failure. Randomized control trials are needed to determine the true benefit of tocilizumab in COVID-19.