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Objective: Immunosuppressive drugs are included in the treatment protocols of severe COVID-19 cases that may present with cytokine storm. In this study, we aimed to examine the characteristics of COVID-19 patients who received immunosuppressive therapy Methods: Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and followed in the quarantine wards of our hospital between 01.03.2020-24.05.2020 were included in the study. Patient information was obtained retrospectively from patient files and discharge reports, and 263 COVID-19 patients -aged 18 and over- were included in the study. Results: The median age of the patients who received immunosuppressive therapy was 60.74 ± 1.96, and 39.6% of them were women. The average symptom duration of the patients examined in the study at the time of admission to the hospital was 4.59 ± 0.29 days. There was a significant difference in age, lymphocyte count, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein, ferritin, D-Dimer, blood oxygen saturation, fever after antiviral therapy, qSOFA score, and total hospital stay between the two groups that received and did not receive immunosuppressive therapy (p<0.05). The need for immunosuppressive therapy increased 15.9 times over the age of 40, 15.6 times in the presence of diffuse involvement on thoracic CT, 6.6 times in the presence of chronic disease, 2.7 times in the presence of thrombocytopenia, and 1.7 times in the presence of lymphopenia (p <0.05). Conclusions: We observed that patients whose immunosuppressive therapy was added to their treatment protocols were admitted to the hospital later than others, had more prevalent involvement in thorax CT, high acute phase reactants, low SPO2, and more than one underlying disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The novel coronavirus, which causes Covid-19 disease and is called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) by the World Health Organization, was first seen in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and initiated a pandemic on a global scale. Uncontrolled cytokine production is observed in Covid-19 cases with severe progression, and this is thought to be one of the reasons for increased mortality. We applied Coupled Plasma Filtration Adsorption (CPFA) and Tocilizumab treatments to patients who were hospitalized in our intensive care unit due to Covid-19 disease and who thought that cytokine release syndrome and/or cytokine storm developed after the uncontrolled cytokine production triggered by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of these treatments through retrospective file and archive scanning. Materials and Methods: Patients who had hospitalized in our intensive care unit between February and June 2020 due to Covid-19 disease, were thought to have developed cytokine release syndrome and/or cytokine storm, and were treated with CPFA or Tocilizumab were included in our study. Our study was planned by retrospectively scanning the data of 20 patients from each treatment group. CPFA treatments were applied for 10 hours each session and 2 sessions with a 12-hour break. Tocilizumab administration was made intravenously within 1 hour from 8 mg/kg dose to a maximum of 800 mg. Before CPFA and Tocilizumab treatments and in the 24th, 48th hour and 7th day after CPFA and Tocilizumab treatments, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores(SOFA), Horowitz indexes(PaO2/FiO2), fever, inotrope requirements, SpO2 and relevant laboratory values (IL-6, Lymphocyte count, CRP, D-dimer) were obtained from patient files and systemic data. Results: After CPFA and Tocilizumab treatments, a decrease in fever and IL-6 values, an increase in SpO2 and lymphocyte values, an increase in Horowitz and SOFA scores, and a decrease in CRP and D dimer values were observed. The increase in SpO2 and Horowitz score values was significantly higher in the CPFA group. At the end of the 7th day, a decrease in fever values and an increase in SOFA scores and a decrease in CRP - D dimer values were significantly more pronounced in the CPFA group. A decrease in inotropic support was observed in the CPFA group. Conclusion: In Covid-19 disease, the disease has a more severe course with cytokine release syndrome and/or cytokine storm that develops after the deterioration of the immune system. Inflammatory cytokine production was controlled with CPFA and Tocilizumab treatments, and improvements were achieved in the oxygenation and clinical findings of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]