Steroid pulse -therapy in patients With coronAvirus Pneumonia (COVID-19), sYstemic inFlammation And Risk of vEnous thRombosis and thromboembolism (WAYFARER Study)

Introduction Coronavirus pneumonia not only severely affects the lung tissue but is also associated with systemic autoimmune inflammation, rapid overactivation of cytokines and chemokines known as “cytokine storm”, and a high risk of thrombosis and thromboembolism. Since there is no specific therapy for this new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), searching for an effective and safe anti-inflammatory therapy is critical.
Materials and methods This study evaluated efficacy and safety of pulse therapy with high doses of glucocorticosteroids (GCS), methylprednisolone 1,000 mg for 3 days plus dexamethasone 8 mg for another 3-5 days, in 17 patients with severe coronavirus pneumonia as a part of retrospective comparative analysis (17 patients in control group). The study primary endpoint was the aggregate dynamics of patients’ condition as evaluated by an original CCS-COVID scale, which included, in addition to the clinical status, assessments of changes in the inflammation marker, C-reactive protein (CRP); the thrombus formation marker, D-dimer; and the extent of lung injury evaluated by computed tomography (CT). Patients had signs of lung injury (53.2 % and 25.6 %), increases in CRP 27 and 19 times, and a more than doubled level of D-dimer (to 1.41 µg/ml and 1.15 µg/ml) in the active therapy and the control groups, respectively. The GCS treatment group had a more severe condition at baseline.
Results The GCS pulse therapy proved effective and significantly decreased the CCS-COVID scores. Median score difference was 5.00 compared to the control group (р=0.011). Shortness of breath considerably decreased; oxygen saturation increased, and the NEWS-2 clinical status scale scores decreased. In the GCS group, concentration of CRP significantly decreased from 134 mg/dl to 41.8 mg/dl (р=0.009) but at the same time, D-dimer level significantly increased from 1.41 µg/ml to 1.98 µg/ml (р=0.044). In the control group, the changes were nonsignificant. The dynamics of lung injury by CT was better in the treatment group but the difference did not reach a statistical significance (р=0.062). Following the GCS treatment, neutrophilia increased (р=0.0001) with persisting lymphopenia, and the neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratio, a marker of chronic inflammation, increased 2.5 times (р=0.006). The changes in the N/L ratio and D-dimer were found to correlate in the GCS pulse therapy group (r =0.49, p=0.04), which underlined the relationship of chronic autoimmune inflammation with thrombus formation in COVID-19. No significant changes were observed in the control group. In result, four patients developed venous thromboembolic complications (two of them had pulmonary artery thromboembolism) after the GCS pulse therapy despite the concomitant antiplatelet treatment at therapeutic doses. Recovery was slower in the hormone treatment group (median stay in the hospital was 26 days vs 18 days in the control group, р=0.001).
Conclusion Pulse therapy with high doses of GCS exerted a rapid anti-inflammatory effect but at the same time, increased the N/L ratio and the D-dimer level, which increased the risk of thromboembolism.

1. Sun X, Wang T, Cai D, Hu Z, Chen J, Liao H et al. Cytokine storm intervention in the early stages of COVID-19 pneumonia. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews. 2020;53:38–42. DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.04.002

2. World Health Organization. Clinical management of COVID-19. WHO Reference Number: WHO/2019-nCoV/clinical/2020.5. 2020. [Internet] 2020. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/clinical-management-of-covid-19

3. Ministry of Health of Russian Federation. Temporary methodical recommendations. Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of new coronavirus infection (COVID-2019). Version 7 (03.06.2020). Moscow. Av. at: https://static-0.rosminzdrav.ru/system/attachments/attaches/000/050/584/original/03062020_%D0%9CR_COVID-19_v7.pdf. 2020.

4. Tobaiqy M, Qashqary M, Al-Dahery S, Mujallad A, Hershan AA, Kamal MA et al. Therapeutic management of patients with COVID-19: a systematic review. Infection Prevention in Practice. 2020;100061. [Epub ahead of print]. DOI: 10.1016/j.infpip.2020.100061

5. Darmon P, Dadoun F, Boullu-Ciocca S, Grino M, Alessi M-C, Dutour A. Insulin resistance induced by hydrocortisone is increased in patients with abdominal obesity. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2006;291(5):E995–1002. DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00654.2005

6. Zarković M, Beleslin B, Ćirić J, Penezić Z, Stojković M, Trbojević B et al. Glucocorticoid effect on insulin sensitivity: A time frame. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation. 2008;31(3):238–42. DOI: 10.1007/BF03345596

7. Clore J, Thurby-Hay L. Glucocorticoid-Induced Hyperglycemia. Endocrine Practice. 2009;15(5):469–74. DOI: 10.4158/EP08331.RAR

8. Shono A, Mori S, Nakamura K, Yatomi A, Takada H, Tanaka H et al. Glucocorticoid-sensitive Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation, Sick Sinus Syndrome, and Mitral Regurgitation in a Patient with Malignant Rheumatoid Vasculitis. Internal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan). 2019;58(21):3093–8. DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.3090-19

9. Wright FL, Vogler TO, Moore EE, Moore HB, Wohlauer MV, Urban S et al. Fibrinolysis Shutdown Correlates to Thromboembolic Events in Severe COVID-19 Infection. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2020;S1072-7515(20)30400-2. [Epub ahead of print]. DOI: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.05.007

10. Tang N, Li D, Wang X, Sun Z. Abnormal coagulation parameters are associated with poor prognosis in patients with novel coronavirus pneumonia. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. 2020;18(4):844–7. DOI: 10.1111/jth.14768

11. Thachil J, Tang N, Gando S, Falanga A, Cattaneo M, Levi M et al. ISTH interim guidance on recognition and management of coagulopathy in COVID‐19. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. 2020;18(5):1023–6. DOI: 10.1111/jth.14810

12. Liao X, Wang B, Kang Y. Novel coronavirus infection during the 2019–2020 epidemic: preparing intensive care units – the experience in Sichuan Province, China. Intensive Care Medicine. 2020;46(2):357–60. DOI: 10.1007/s00134-020-05954-2

13. The OpenSAFELY Collaborative, Williamson E, Walker AJ, Bhaskaran KJ, Bacon S, Bates C et al. OpenSAFELY: factors associated with COVID-19-related hospital death in the linked electronic health records of 17 million adult NHS patients. Epidemiology. Av. at: http://medrxiv.org/lookup/doi/10.1101/2020.05.06.20092999. DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.06.20092999. 2020.

14. Schett G, Sticherling M, Neurath MF. COVID-19: risk for cytokine targeting in chronic inflammatory diseases? Nature Reviews Immunology. 2020;20(5):271–2. DOI: 10.1038/s41577-020-0312-7

15. Mehta P, McAuley DF, Brown M, Sanchez E, Tattersall RS, Manson JJ. COVID-19: consider cytokine storm syndromes and immunosuppression. The Lancet. 2020;395(10229):1033–4. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30628-0

16. Xu X, Han M, Li T, Sun W, Wang D, Fu B et al. Effective treatment of severe COVID-19 patients with tocilizumab. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2020;117(20):10970–5. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2005615117

17. Ucciferri C, Auricchio A, Di Nicola M, Potere N, Abbate A, Cipollone F et al. Canakinumab in a subgroup of patients with COVID-19. The Lancet Rheumatology. 2020; [Av. at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341920485_Canakinumab_in_a_subgroup_of_patients_with_COVID-19]. DOI: 10.1016/S2665-9913(20)30167-3

18. Wan MT, Shin DB, Winthrop KL, Gelfand JM. The risk of respiratory tract infections and symptoms in psoriasis patients treated with IL-17-pathway inhibiting biologics: A meta-estimate of pivotal trials relevant to decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2020;S0190962220308665. [Epub ahead of print]. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2020.05.035

19. Cao Y, Wei J, Zou L, Jiang T, Wang G, Chen L et al. Ruxolitinib in treatment of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A multicenter, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2020;S0091674920307387. [Epub ahead of print]. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2020.05.019

20. Li H, Chen C, Hu F, Wang J, Zhao Q, Gale RP et al. Impact of corticosteroid therapy on outcomes of persons with SARS-CoV-2, SARSCoV, or MERS-CoV infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Leukemia. 2020;34(6):1503– 11. DOI: 10.1038/s41375-020-0848-3

21. Zha L, Li S, Pan L, Tefsen B, Li Y, French N et al. Corticosteroid treatment of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Medical Journal of Australia. 2020;212(9):416–20. DOI: 10.5694/mja2.50577

22. Zhao Z. Description and clinical treatment of an early outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Guangzhou, PR China. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 2003;52(8):715–20. DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.05320-0

23. Ho JC, Ooi GC, Mok TY, Chan JW, Hung I, Lam B et al. High–Dose Pulse Versus Nonpulse Corticosteroid Regimens in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2003;168(12):1449–56. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200306-766OC

24. Majoor CJ, Sneeboer MMS, de Kievit A, Meijers JCM, van der Poll T, Lutter R et al. The influence of corticosteroids on hemostasis in healthy subjects. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. 2016;14(4):716–23. DOI: 10.1111/jth.13265

25. Johannesdottir SA, Horváth-Puhó E, Dekkers OM, Cannegieter SC, Jørgensen JOL, Ehrenstein V et al. Use of Glucocorticoids and Risk of Venous Thromboembolism: A Nationwide Population-Based CaseControl Study. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2013;173(9):743. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.122

26. Stuijver DJF, Majoor CJ, van Zaane B, Souverein PC, de Boer A, Dekkers OM et al. Use of Oral Glucocorticoids and the Risk of Pulmonary Embolism. Chest. 2013;143(5):1337–42. DOI: 10.1378/chest.12-1446

27. Ye Z, Wang Y, Colunga-Lozano LE, Prasad M, Tangamornsuksan W, Rochwerg B et al. Efficacy and safety of corticosteroids in COVID-19 based on evidence for COVID-19, other coronavirus infections, influenza, community-acquired pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2020;cmaj.200645. [Epub ahead of print]. DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.200645

28. Yang Z, Liu J, Zhou Y, Zhao X, Zhao Q, Liu J. The effect of corticosteroid treatment on patients with coronavirus infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Infection. 2020;81(1):e13–20. DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.03.062

29. Siddiqi HK, Mehra MR. COVID-19 illness in native and immunosuppressed states: A clinical–therapeutic staging proposal. The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation. 2020;39(5):405–7. DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2020.03.012

30. Russell CD, Millar JE, Baillie JK. Clinical evidence does not support corticosteroid treatment for 2019-nCoV lung injury. The Lancet. 2020;395(10223):473–5. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30317-2

31. Zhang L, Yan X, Fan Q, Liu H, Liu X, Liu Z et al. D‐dimer levels on admission to predict in‐hospital mortality in patients with Covid‐19. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. 2020;18(6):1324–9. DOI: 10.1111/jth.14859

32. Zhou F, Yu T, Du R, Fan G, Liu Y, Liu Z et al. Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult inpatients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study. The Lancet. 2020;395(10229):1054–62. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30566-3

33. Ronchetti S, Ricci E, Migliorati G, Gentili M, Riccardi C. How Glucocorticoids Affect the Neutrophil Life. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2018;19(12):4090. DOI: 10.3390/ijms19124090

34. Imtiaz F, Shafique K, Mirza S, Ayoob Z, Vart P, Rao S. Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio as a measure of systemic inflammation in prevalent chronic diseases in Asian population. International Archives of Medicine. 2012;5(1):2. DOI: 10.1186/1755-7682-5-2

35. Lorente D, Mateo J, Templeton AJ, Zafeiriou Z, Bianchini D, Ferraldeschi R et al. Baseline neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is associated with survival and response to treatment with second-line chemotherapy for advanced prostate cancer independent of baseline steroid use. Annals of Oncology. 2015;26(4):750–5. DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdu587

36. Djaballah-Ider F, Touil-Boukoffa C. Effect of combined colchicinecorticosteroid treatment on neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio: a predictive marker in Behçet disease activity. Inflammopharmacology. 2020; [Epub ahead of print]. DOI: 10.1007/s10787-020-00701-x

37. Liu J, Liu Y, Xiang P, Pu L, Xiong H, Li C et al. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts critical illness patients with 2019 coronavirus disease in the early stage. Journal of Translational Medicine. 2020;18(1):206. DOI: 10.1186/s12967-020-02374-0

38. Yang A-P, Liu J, Tao W, Li H. The diagnostic and predictive role of NLR, d-NLR and PLR in COVID-19 patients. International Immunopharmacology. 2020;84:106504. DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106504

39. Karataş MB, İpek G, Onuk T, Güngör B, Durmuş G, Çanga Y et al. Assessment of Prognostic Value of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with Pulmonary Embolism. Acta Cardiologica Sinica. 2016;32(3):313–20. DOI: 10.6515/acs20151013a

40. Kayrak M, Erdoğan Hİ, Solak Y, Akıllı H, Gül EE, Yıldırım O et al. Prognostic Value of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism: A Restrospective Study. Heart, Lung and Circulation. 2014;23(1):56–62. DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2013.06.004

41. Zhang Y, Wu W, Du M, Luo W, Hou W, Shi Y et al. Neutrophil-toLymphocyte Ratio may Replace Chest Computed Tomography to Reflect the Degree of Lung Injury in Patients with Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Av. at: https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-23201/v1. DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-23201/v1. 2020.

42. Zhu Z, Cai T, Fan L, Lou K, Hua X, Huang Z et al. Clinical value of immune-inflammatory parameters to assess the severity of coronavirus disease 2019. International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2020;95:332–9. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.04.041

43. Lagunas-Rangel FA. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte-to-C- reactive protein ratio in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Virology. 2020; [Epub ahead of print]. DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25819

44. Liu Y, Du X, Chen J, Jin Y, Peng L, Wang HHX et al. Neutrophil- tolymphocyte ratio as an independent risk factor for mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Journal of Infection. 2020;81(1):e6–12. DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.04.002

45. Mehra N, Sharp A, Lorente D, Dolling D, Sumanasuriya S, Johnson B et al. Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients Treated with Daily Oral Corticosteroids. Clinical Genitourinary Cancer. 2017;15(6):678-684.e1. DOI: 10.1016/j.clgc.2017.05.012

46. Cataudella E, Giraffa CM, Di Marca S, Pulvirenti A, Alaimo S, Pisano M et al. Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte Ratio: An Emerging Marker Predicting Prognosis in Elderly Adults with Community-Acquired Pneumonia. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2017;65(8):1796–801. DOI: 10.1111/jgs.14894