The use of tocilizumab had been known to weaken the "cytokine storm" in patients with COVID-19. This anti–interleukin-6 receptor monoclonal antibody can be suggested for better disease management in COVID-19 patients with bilateral pulmonary lesions and elevated IL-6 levels, as deduced from this randomized, controlled, open-label multicenter trial.

To assess the safety and effectiveness of tocilizumab in COVID-19 patients and identify the patients with COVID-19 who may benefit from this therapy.

Sixty-five patients were randomized to receive either tocilizumab along with standard care (33 patients) or just standard care (32 patients). The cure rate, variations in oxygen saturation, and inflammation biomarkers were studied.

The patients in the tocilizumab group had higher cure rate (not statistically significant) as compared to the control group. Tocilizumab group had improved hypoxia starting from day 4 and statistically significant from day 12.

In patients with moderate COVID-19 severity having bilateral pulmonary lesions, hypoxia improved quicker following the use of tocilizumab, and less patients required an increase of inhaled oxygen concentration than controls. Although no severe adverse events were reported, but patients in the tocilizumab group had mild, short-term adverse events.

The use of tocilizumab therapy was found to be safe and improved hypoxia in COVID-19 patients. It had no significant effect on the time required for negative viral load.