Author: Gante Martínez, Sergio De ; Sastré, Alejandro Jiménez ; Gómez, Guadalupe Montesinos ; Lara, Jessi Juárez ; Trujillo, Teresita ; López, Miguel Vázquez ; Bravo, Bertha Arizpe ; Figueroa, Gabriela Enciso ; García, Yolanda Lugo ; Ovilla-Martinez, Roberto ; Álvarez, Adriana Miguel ; García, Maria Bahena ; Cruz, Cindy Ledesma de la ; Salazar, Patricia Nuche ; Carvajal, Alejandro Muñiz ; Alvarado-Zepeda, Mariana ; Mendez, Jorge García ; Broca, Juan Pulido ; Luján, Rodolfo Ruiz ; Baez-Islas, Pamela ; Cota-Rangel, Xochitl ; Canto, Nidia Zapata ; Ibarra, Gregorio Ignacio ; Arroyo, Alejandro Ortiz ; Gallegos, Diego García ; Pérez, Felipe Villaseñor ; Velasco, Silvia Martínez ; Ávila, Ana González ; Paregrina, Alfredo Dominguez ; Graullera, Roberto García ; Ceballos, Eduardo Cervera ; Forcelledo, Humberto Azuara ; Martinez, Nora Araujo ; Heredia, Jesus Salas ; Soto, Javier Solis ; Rodriguez, Bernardino Ordoñez ; Rivera, Violeta Rodríguez ; Rodriguez, Jorge Duque ; Zuñiga, Cecilio Ceballos ; Jímenez, Omar García ; Peña-Celaya, Jose De La ; Jaimes, Aaron Molina ; Soto, Claudia Solorzano ; Ceniceros, Victor Urbalejo ; Ramírez, Hiram Jaramillo ; Ramírez, Lucio Soberanes ; Hernández, Ibis De la Cruz ; Mendez, Ruben Villalobos ; Garcia, Jose Herrera
Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus
(SARS-CoV-2) infection is characterised by a viral phase and a severe
pro-inflammatory phase. The inhibition of the JAK/STAT pathway limits
the pro-inflammatory state in moderate to severe COVID-19 cases.
Methods: We analysed the data obtained for an observational cohort of
patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia treated with ruxolitinib in 22
hospitals of Mexico. The dose used was determined based on physician’s
criteria. The benefit of ruxolitinib was evaluated using the 8-points
ordinal scale developed by the NIH in the ACTT1 trial. Duration of
hospital stay, changes in pro-inflammatory laboratory values, mortality,
and toxicity were also measured. Results: A total of 287 patients
administered ruxolitinib were reported at 22 sites in Mexico from March
to June 2020; 80.8% received 5 mg BID and 19.16% received 10 mg BID
ruxolitinib. At the beginning of treatment, 223 patients were on oxygen
support, 59 on invasive ventilation. The percentage of patients on
invasive ventilation was 53% in the 10 mg and 13% in the 5 mg cohort.
There was a statistically significant improvement measured as a
reduction by 2 points (initial 5.39 ± 0.93, final 3.67± 2.98, P value =
0.0001) on the 8-point ordinal scale. There were a total of 74 deaths.
Serious adverse events were presented in 6.9% of the patients.
Conclusion: Ruxolitinib appears to be safe in COVID-19 patients, with
clinical benefits observed in terms of decrease in the 8-point ordinal
scale and pro-inflammatory state. Further studies must be done to ensure
efficacy against mortality.
