NIH adds another antibody to recommended treatments, studies look at early cases, racial disparities

The NIH's guidelines panel updated its recommendations to include sotrovimab among the monoclonal antibody options for treatment of nonhospitalized patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19. As of June 11, the panel recommends bamlanivimab plus etesevimab, casirivimab plus imdevimab, or sotrovimab for such patients.

A recent study found that some people in the U.S. had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 before the first confirmed cases were reported, according to a study published by Clinical Infectious Diseases on June 15. Researchers tested 24,079 blood specimens gathered Jan. 2 to March 18, 2020, from participants in the nationwide All of Us study using multiple enzyme-linked immunoassay tests. They found that nine samples were seropositive, including seven that were taken prior to the first confirmed case in the states of Illinois, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi. “This study contributes to the evidence of low-level circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in many states at the start of the US epidemic,” the authors said.

A manufacturer-funded trial, conducted in Brazil and published by the New England Journal of Medicine on June 16, found that the rheumatoid arthritis drug tofacitinib improved outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Taken together with a previous trial of baricitinib, another Janus kinase inhibitor (JAK), the study results provide “evidence that JAK inhibition represents an additional therapeutic option for treating Covid-19 pneumonia in patients who are not yet receiving invasive mechanical ventilation,” the authors said.

Racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes may stem from which hospitals patients are admitted to, according to a study published by JAMA Network Open on June 17. The researchers calculated that if the Black patients had been admitted to the same hospitals as the White patients, their rate of mortality or discharge to hospice would decline from 13.48% to 12.23%. The authors of an accompanying editorial noted that racial disparities are due to many factors, including where people receive care.