A study demonstrated that janus kinase (JAK)-inhibitor therapy is considerably linked with positive clinical outcomes in terms of mortality, intensive care unit admission, and discharge. Regarding mortality and discharge, the type I interferon therapy is linked with favorable clinical outcomes.

A meta-analysis and systematic review were carried to investigate type I interferons and JAK-inhibitors for their efficacy and ability to yield positive outcomes in individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). 

To incorporate any study type that assessed therapy outcomes of subjects receiving JAK-inhibitor or type I interferon against controls, MEDLINE and MedRxiv were explored  The inclusion necessitated data with clearly depicted risk estimates or those that allowed their back-calculation. Utilizing RevMan, the outcomes were assessed.

Out of 733 searched studies, eleven non-randomized and four randomized trials were incorporated. Notably, five studies were unpublished. Participants receiving Janus kinase-inhibitor had considerably declined odds of mortality (OR 0.12) and ICU admission (Odds ratio [OR] 0.05) and had substantially elevated odds of hospital discharge (OR 22.76) in comparison with the participants receiving standard therapy. Patients treated with type I interferon had remarkably declined odds of mortality (OR 0.19), and elevated odds of discharge bordering significance (OR 1.89).

JAK-inhibitors and type I interferons appear to be promising agents to combat coronavirus infection. Further well-conducted and robust randomized controlled trials  are required to elucidate the relationship between clinical outcomes and JAK-inhibitors and type I interferons in coronavirus-infected patients.