03 Feb Gout Drug May Control Some of the Inflammation from COVID-19

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr Rene Oliveira
Department of Internal Medicine
Ribeirao Preto Medical School
University of Sao Paulo
Ribeirao Preto, Brazil 

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: As rheumatologists our background for testing colchicine for COVID-19 was the effect of the drug on gout, Behçet’s disease and familial Mediterranean fever. For these diseases, the drug is able to reduce systemic inflammation by acting in some cytokine pathways which the first reports in COVID-19 suggested being the same.

We found that colchicine was able to reduce systemic inflammation and diminish the length of need for supplemental oxygen and hospitalisation.

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

Response: They should look at colchicine as an adjuvant for the control of the systemic inflammation caused by SARS-CoV-2.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report? 

Response: Further investigation should focus on mechanisms by which colchicine acts on pathophysiology of COVID-19 and, possibly, other viral infections where inflammasome and/or neutrophil activation are hallmarks. 

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?

Response: Since our study evaluated a good but yet small number of subjects, we must be cautious. Nevertheless, we could say that colchicine has its hole for the treatment of hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Our group is now investigating its mechanisms of action and I hope we could bring some good news shortly. 

Beneficial effects of colchicine for moderate to severe COVID-19: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial

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Last Updated on February 8, 2021 by Marie Benz MD FAAD