Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Mar 2023
Observational StudyOutcomes and Adverse Effects of Baricitinib Versus Tocilizumab in the Management of Severe COVID-19.
The National Institutes of Health and Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines recommend tocilizumab or baricitinib in the management of severe COVID-19. Despite clinical trials on the individual agents, there are no large-scale studies comparing the two agents to guide the selection of one versus the other. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes and adverse effects of baricitinib versus tocilizumab in the management of severe COVID-19. ⋯ Our propensity score-matched, retrospective, observational study in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 showed no difference in mortality but significantly fewer adverse effects with baricitinib compared with tocilizumab. Our data suggest that baricitinib may be a better choice when treating patients with severe COVID-19, but additional prospective, randomized trials are needed to help clinicians choose the most optimal drug.