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Meta-Analysis
. 2021 Apr:86:34-40.
doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2021.01.016. Epub 2021 Feb 5.

Anakinra for patients with COVID-19: a meta-analysis of non-randomized cohort studies

Laura Pasin  1 , Giulio Cavalli  2 , Paolo Navalesi  3 , Nicolò Sella  1 , Giovanni Landoni  4 , Andrey G Yavorovskiy  5 , Valery V Likhvantsev  6 , Alberto Zangrillo  7 , Lorenzo Dagna  8 , Giacomo Monti  7
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Anakinra for patients with COVID-19: a meta-analysis of non-randomized cohort studies

Laura Pasin et al. Eur J Intern Med. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Introduction: Severe COVID-19 cases have a detrimental hyper-inflammatory host response and different cytokine-blocking biologic agents were explored to improve outcomes. Anakinra blocks the activity of both IL-1α and IL‑1β and is approved for different autoinflammatory disorders, but it is used off-label for conditions characterized by an excess of cytokine production. Several studies on anakinra in COVID-19 patients reported positive effects. We performed a meta-analysis of all published evidence on the use of anakinra in COVID19 to investigate its effect on survival and need for mechanical ventilation.

Methods: We searched for any study performed on adult patients with acute hypoxemic failure related to 2019-nCoV infection, receiving anakinra versus any comparator. Primary endpoint was mortality at the longest available follow-up. Adverse effects, need for mechanical ventilation and discharge at home with no limitations were also analysed.

Results: Four observational studies involving 184 patients were included. Overall mortality of patients treated with anakinra was significantly lower than mortality in the control group (95% CI 0.14-0.48, p<0.0001). Moreover, patients treated with anakinra had a significantly lower risk of need for mechanical ventilation than controls (95% CI 0.250.74, p=0.002). No difference in adverse events and discharge at home with no limitations was observed. The Trial Sequential Analysis z-cumulative line reached the monitoring boundary for benefit and the required sample size.

Conclusions: Administration of anakinra in COVID-19 patients was safe and might be associated with reductions in both mortality and need for mechanical ventilation. Randomized clinical trials are warranted to confirm these findings.

Keywords: Anakinra; COVID-19; Meta-analysis; Mortality; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram for selection of articles.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Forest plot for mortality.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Forest plot for need for invasive mechanical ventilation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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