Volume 29, Issue 4 (Iran South Med J 2026)                   Iran South Med J 2026, 29(4): 234-246 | Back to browse issues page


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Amri Maleh P, Atania E, Gholinia Ahangar H, Baziboroun M. Comparison of the Efficacy of Baricitinib, Tocilizumab, and High-Dose Corticosteroids with High-dose Corticosteroids in Patients with COVID-19: a Retrospective Study. Iran South Med J 2026; 29 (4) :234-246
URL: http://ismj.bpums.ac.ir/article-1-2645-en.html
1- Clinical Research Development Unit of Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
2- Clinical Research Development Unit of Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran & Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , m.bazibotoun@sbmu.ac
Abstract:   (291 Views)
Background: Immunomodulatory medications can induce adverse effects in patients. Because the comparative efficacy and safety of immunomodulatory medications in patients with Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) remains insufficiently characterized, this study aimed to evaluate and compare the clinical effects of different immunomodulatory medications in COVID-19 treatment.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective, descriptive-analytical study evaluated 165 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2022. Demographic and paraclinical variables were compared among patients treated with baricitinib, tocilizumab, and high-dose corticosteroids. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 26, employing descriptive indices, post hoc test, chi-square, and analysis of variance. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Of the 165 patients studied, 61.8% were discharged with partial recovery. Significant differences were observed across the treatment groups regarding initial oxygen levels (p = 0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (p = 0.010), and the length of hospital stay (p = 0.029). The requirement for tracheal intubation was significantly higher in the tocilizumab (25.5%) and high-dose corticosteroid (25.5%) groups than that in the baricitinib group (5.5%) (p = 0.008). Furthermore, the mortality rate was significantly higher in patients receiving high-dose corticosteroids (40%) than in the tocilizumab (20%) and baricitinib (16.4%) groups (p = 0.007).
Conclusion: Patients in the tocilizumab group presented with lower initial oxygen levels compared with the baricitinib and high-dose corticosteroid groups, and a majority of them were in critical condition. Overall, significant differences were found among the three interventions concerning initial oxygen level, lactate dehydrogenase, the mean length of hospital stay, and the incidence of critical clinical outcomes.
 
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Original: Original | Subject: infectious
Received: 2026/05/19 | Accepted: 2026/07/14 | Published: 2026/09/26

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