Actemra-Tocilizumab May Not Quell Cytokine Storms

  Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/7Weu0XfSb3c   The monoclonal antibody tocilizumab that is designed to reduce IL-6 and cytokine storms apparently doesn’t for critically ill CoVid19 patients. This the conclusion of a preliminary case series from the University of North Carolina.   Eleven patients with confirmed CoVid19 infections were treated with Actemra.  These patients were either severe or critical and had multiple medical issues including obesity and high blood pressure.     Despite Actemra treatment, all patients experienced significant IL-6 level increases without improvements in their fevers or a reduction in their oxygen requirements.  Two other inflammatory indicators did diminish.   The conclusion: randomized, controlled trials of Actemra must occur before this drug can be widely used.   https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.13.20100404v1.full.pdf   #covid #actemra #tocilizumab #il6 #cytokinestorm