“We found that in patients with high levels of inflammation, namely a CRP level greater than 20, steroids were associated with a 75 percent reduction in the risk of going on mechanical ventilation or dying,” explained Marla Keller, MD, the study’s lead author.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb However, among patients with levels of CRP under 10, “steroid use was associated with an almost 200 percent increased risk of going on mechanical ventilation or death,” said Keller. This research may prove fruitful for hospitalized coronavirus patients who might be given steroids to the ultimate detriment of their health. Keller’s team noted that a common blood test can easily identify those who might benefit from steroid treatment and those for whom it would likely prove deadly. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. Steroids aren’t the only potentially lifesaving medical interventions for coronavirus that have come under scrutiny in recent months, however. While ventilators have been used throughout the pandemic to provide treatment to critically ill patients with reduced lung function, a June 2020 analysis of research published in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene suggests that using greater restraint in prescribing ventilator treatment—including waiting until patients are struggling to breathe to use them instead of basing their use on oxygen levels alone—could actually save more lives. And if you’re wondering what might be a tip-off that your COVID case is serious, check out the 4 Coronavirus Symptoms Most Likely to Be Deadly.
