Rationalizing the Use of COVID-19 Questionable Efficacy Drugs in a Low Middle-income Country: A Hospital Tocilizumab Committee Experience

• Published in: Journal of the Association of Physicians of India Vol. 71; no. 3; pp. 18 - 24
• Main Authors: Hegde, Naveen, Kumar, Ankit, Batra, Gurpreet K, Devnani, Mahesh, Rohilla, Rachna, Malhotra, Pankaj, Patil, Amol N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 07.03.2023
• ISSN: 0004-5772
• DOI: 10.5005/japi-11001-0197

Background: Only corticosteroids have confirmed mortality benefits in coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). Rational use of costlier drugs with questionable benefits poses a great concern to hospital pharmacies in low middle-income countries. Aim: The present study aimed to assess the rational utilization of hospital supply tocilizumab and understand its clinical benefits in hospitalized COVID-19 pneumonia patients. Methods: The Hospital Tocilizumab Committee (HTC) decision support system framework was developed to make patients eligible or ineligible for tocilizumab procurement from the hospital pharmacy. A total of 33 consecutive patients receiving tocilizumab were analyzed retrospectively in the 3-month study period. The records of the inpatient stay of the patients were observed for pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate (RR), oxygen saturation (SpO2), fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) laboratory work-up, hospital stay duration, and mortality benefit, if any. Patients were analyzed as ”died,” ”survived,” and ”composite” subgroups. Results: The study observed death as a final outcome in 48% of patients. The study observed a significant effect of tocilizumab on C-reactive protein (CRP) (p = 0.02) and ferritin (p = 0.018) levels on a 10-day follow-up when all patients were analyzed together. Rising and declining trends of RR and FiO2 were observed among the “died” (RR, p = 0.02; FiO2, p = 0.03) and survived (RR, p = 0.03; FiO2, p = 0.05) subgroups. The second dose of tocilizumab was received by 88% of survivors as against 50% of patients who died (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Hospital Tocilizumab Committee (HTC) was successfully established to continue the assessment of the costlier drug with uncertain treatment benefits. A repeat dose of tocilizumab may provide a mortality benefit in Asian Indians