Patients with lung failure, saved by cancer drug
Infection by the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 the disease COVID-19 trigger, which can cause in rare cases, a lung failure. This respiratory failure is to a large extent with the risk in connection to COVID-19 to die. German Doctors now report a successful treatment. A COVID-19-patient floated to a lung failure in life is a risk. A cancer drug that saved you.
Doctors of Marburg University of medicine may have discovered a new method of treatment for life-threatening COVID-19-gradients. You were able to save through the gift of the cancer drug Ruxolitinib is the life of a 65-year-old COVID-19-patient. The case was recently described in the medical journal “Leukemia”.
The success of treatment in respiratory failure
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For the first time, a hard to COVID-19 ill patient was cured by the cancer drug Ruxolitinib successfully. The 65-Year-old suffered as a result of a SARS-CoV-2 infection, acute lung failure (ARDS). “The mortality in these cases is high,” reports Dr. Thomas Wiesmann, one of the attending Physicians.
The condition of the woman deteriorated rapidly
The woman had no pre-existing medical conditions and was admitted due to progressive shortness of breath and fever in the Marburg University medicine. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, so that you respiration already three hours after posting artificial (intubated) to be had. Overall, her condition was assessed as critical.
Save of note came from the Chinese studies
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“From Chinese publications, we know that the patients are characterized by a severe and even fatal course of by a so-called cytokine storm,” explains Professor Dr. Andreas Neubauer, a cancer physician of Marburg University of medicine. This is an Overreaction of the immune system of the body with substances that are to be flooded, the damage to the tissue. As a result of a cytokine-tower can multiply the Virus abruptly.
The cancer physicians, a saving idea came to. He knew from the cancer treatment, that the drug might appeal to Ruxolitinib. The Drug inhibits enzymes in the body involved in excessive inflammatory reactions called. “We have informed the attending members that the cancer could, perhaps, avert the life-threatening effect brought about by an inflammatory injury to the lung tissue itself,” says Neubauer.
A hard decision
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“We were faced with a serious decision”, stressed the Director of clinic Professor Dr. Hinnerk Wulf. It was uncertain whether it would confirm the theory, or whether the treatment of an unknown risk. Finally, the Team opted for the Ruxolitinib-gift.
A remarkable success
After the cancer drug was administered, improved the condition of the Marburg patient continuously. The Team documented a stabilization and a rapid improvement of breathing and heart function. “This course was in comparison to the other Affected remarkable,” underlines Wiesmann. The multiplication of the virus has been contained after the administration of the cancer drug. After ten days, the patient could be weaned off gradually from the ventilator.
Success could be repeated
Due to the great success of this Treatment, the Marburg Team used the cancer drug, even in the case of several other patients, to get serious COVID-19-gradients in the handle. “In all, the medium is longer than a week, have been administered, it has become good in the end,” says Neubauer. Another team of Doctors headed by Professor Dr. Paul Graf La Rosée from the Schwarzwald-Baar-Klinikum also reported of a successful use of the product.
It was finally discovered to be an effective treatment in severe cases?
After the treatment be carried out by the Federal Institute for drugs and medical devices approved a clinical study of the effect of Ruxolitinib in COVID-19 scientifically proven to be. “The temporal connection between the beginning of the Ruxolitinib administration and the health improvement is so narrow that the presumption is close, the inhibition could have contributed to the favorable clinical course,” adds Neubauer finally. (vb)