Management of COVID-19 pneumonitis with inhalational nebulized sodium ibuprofenate in hypertonic saline (NaIHS) was found to be linked with prompt improvement in vital signs and hypoxia, without any severe noxious effects attributed to therapy, as per the findings of a study published in Infectious Diseases and Therapy.

NaIHS given directly to lungs with the aid of nebulization and inhalation possess anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, with a promising potential for delivering these benefits to hypoxic people. Oscar Salva et al. and researchers described a compassionate use program that provided NaIHS to hospitalized people infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 people received NaIHS (50 mg ibuprofen, three times a day) plus standard of care (SOC) to until the oxygen saturation levels of > 94% were attained on ambient air. The outcome data from the participating people are summarized.  A comparison of the results was made with a retrospective contemporaneous control (CC) group of hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 people with SOC alone during a similar time frame from the subset of hospitals that participated.

The authors summarized the evolution of 383 people treated with SOC + NaIHS [56 on mechanical ventilation at baseline] and 195 CC (21 on mechanical ventilation at baseline). Table 1 denotes basal oxygen saturation and basal respiratory rate at the baseline in the study groups. In spite of higher pulmonary compromise at the baseline in the NaIHS recipients, the length of treatment was 9.1 ± 0.2 gs with a reduced average length of stay in the NaIHS group vs. CC group, as shown in Table 1:

In people on mechanical ventilation receiving NaIHS, the average length of stay was reduced when compared to the CC group. In both groups, a prompt reversal of worsening in oxygenation and National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) scores was noted acutely following the commencement of NaIHS treatment.

No severe side effects were considered linked with ibuprofen therapy. Mortality was reduced in both NaIHS groups in comparison with CC groups. Thus, the compassionate use of sodium ibuprofenate administered by nebulization in hypertonic saline seems to be safe and well-tolerated to alleviate COVID-19 pneumonitis.