Association between treatment with colchicine and improved survival in a single-centre cohort of adult hospitalised patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome
Mirko Scarsi, Silvia Piantoni, Enrico Colombo, Paolo Airó, Donata Richini, Marco Miclini, Valeria Bertasi, Marta Bianchi, Damiano Bottone, Patrizia Civelli, Maria Sofia Cotelli, Ezio Damiolini, Gloria Galbassini, Diego Gatta, Maria-Laura Ghirardelli, Roberto Magri, Paola Malamani, Monia Mendeni, Stefano Molinari, Andrea Morotti, Luisa Salada, Marinella Turla, Angiola Vender, Anǵela Tincani, Antonio Brucato, Franco Franceschini, Roberto Furloni, Laura Andréoli
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The outbreak of COVID-19 posed the issue of urgently identifying treatment strategies. Colchicine was considered for this purpose based on well-recognised anti-inflammatory effects and potential antiviral properties. In the present study, colchicine was proposed to patients with COVID-19, and its effects compared with 'standard-of-care' (SoC). METHODS: In the public hospital of Esine, northern Italy, 140 consecutive inpatients, with virologically and radiographically confirmed COVID-19 admitted in the period 5-19 March 2020, were treated with 'SoC' (hydroxychloroquine and/or intravenous dexamethasone; and/or lopinavir/ritonavir). They were compared with 122 consecutive inpatients, admitted between 19 March and 5 April 2020, treated with colchicine (1 mg/day) and SoC (antiviral drugs were stopped before colchicine, due to potential interaction). RESULTS: 63.6% (SE=4.1%), p=0.001). Cox proportional hazards regression survival analysis showed that a lower risk of death was independently associated with colchicine treatment (HR=0.151 (95% CI 0.062 to 0.368), p<0.0001), whereas older age, worse PaO2/FiO2, and higher serum levels of ferritin at entry were associated with a higher risk. CONCLUSION: This proof-of-concept study may support the rationale of use of colchicine for the treatment of COVID-19. Efficacy and safety must be determined in controlled clinical trials.