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Letters to the Editor

Diagnosis and therapy of SARS-CoV-2 infection: recommendations of the Polish Association of Epidemiologists and Infectiologists as of November 12, 2021. Annex no. 1 to the Recommendations of April 26, 2021

DOI: 10.20452/pamw.16140
Published online: November 30, 2021
CCBYNCSACC BY-NC-SA 4.0

In this article

To the editor

Due to new research results and decisions of drug registration institutions as well as our own experience, it became necessary to amend the recommendations for the management of SARS‑CoV‑2 infection by the Polish Association of Epidemiologists and Infectiologists, published on April 26, 2021.1 The introduced changes relate primarily to the basic treatment (Table 1) and are a consequence of the rapid accumulation of knowledge about the effectiveness of the considered therapeutic options. The results of subsequent studies justify the use of molnupiravir or kasirivimab / imdevimab in stage 1 and 2, and baricitinib in stage 3 of the disease.2-5 On the other hand, the recommendation to use convalescent plasma was discontinued due to the negative results of the research.6,7 Due to lack of scientific evidence on the effectiveness, the following drugs are still not recommended for use in COVID‑19: lopinavir / ritonavir, chloroquine, hydrochloroquine, azithromycin, favipiravir, amantadine, oseltamivir, or ivermectin.

Table 1. Recommended pharmacological management in adults at different clinical stages of SARS‑CoV‑2 infection, including basic and supportive treatmenta
Disease stage
Primary treatment
Supportive treatment
a Detailed information on the posology and restrictions on use is provided in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for the European Union / Poland. Pending European Union registration and availability of the Polish SmPC, it is appropriate for molnupiravir to use the SmPC issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom), and for kasirivimab / imdevimab, by the Food and Drug Administration (United States).
b Age >60 years, obesity, diabetes mellitus, neoplastic disease, chronic heart failure, chronic respiratory failure, chronic kidney disease, immunodeficiency, immunosuppression
c According to the manufacturer’s information, 6 or 8 mg/ml of dexamethasone phosphate in the available injection solutions corresponds to 4.95 or 6.6 mg/ml of dexamethasone
Abbreviations: ALT, alanine aminotransferase; BW, body weight; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; ICU, intensive care unit; IL, interleukin, SpO2, oxygen saturation
Stage 1: mildly symptomatic
  • SpO

    2

    ≥94%

  • No hospitalization is necessary

The commencement of antiviral therapy is recommended up to 5 days after the onset of symptoms, with particular emphasis on patients at risk of a severe courseb and under direct medical supervision during the qualification and monitoring of treatment. These drugs should not be used in pregnant and lactating women.
  • Molnupiravir used orally twice daily 800 mg for 5

    days8

or
  • Kasirivimab / imdevimab used intravenously or subcutaneously as a single dose of 1200 mg

    (600/600 mg)9

  • Inhaled budesonide at a dose of 2 × 800 μg

    daily1

  • Antipyretic drugs (paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc)

  • Rest

  • Oral hydration

  • Low‑molecular‑weight heparin in patients who are chronically bedridden only

  • Antitussive drugs for persistent cough

  • Systemic corticosteroids are contraindicated.

  • Antibiotics and anti‑influenza medications are contraindicated, unless there is a coinfection with bacterial infection or concomitant influenza.

  • Oxygen saturation control using the Pulsocare remote alarm system (using pulse oximeters)

Stage 2: fully symptomatic
  • SpO

    2

    <⁠94%

  • Usually week 1 after disease onset

  • Hospitalization is required

The initiation of antiviral therapy with each of the following drugs is recommended up to 5 days after the onset of symptoms.
  • Remdesivir intravenously administered once daily for 5 days, loading dose on day 1: 200 mg, then maintenance dose: 100 mg for 4 days. Contraindicated in patients with: eGFR <⁠30 ml / min/1.73 m

    2

    ; ALT activity ≥5 times the upper limit of

    normal10

or
  • Molnupiravir administered orally twice daily 800 mg for 5

    days8

or
  • Kasirivimab / imdevimab administered intravenously or subcutaneously in a single dose of 1200 mg

    (600/600 mg)9

  • Low‑molecular‑weight heparin in prophylactic or therapeutic doses

  • Dexamethasone can be considered, but only in patients receiving antiviral drugs and oxygen therapy, orally or intravenously 4–8 mg/d; should not be used in the first week of the disease if antiviral drugs are not used.

  • Antibiotic therapy in the case of secondary bacterial infections

  • Symptomatic treatment

  • Oxygen therapy

  • Oral or intravenous hydration

Stage 3: respiratory failure (cytokine storm)
  • SpO

    2

    <⁠90%

  • Usually week 2 after disease onset

  • Hospitalization is required

  • Tocilizumab (in people with IL‑6 concentration >100 pg/ml) in a single intravenous infusion of 800 mg if BW >90 kg; 600 mg if BW 65–90 kg; 400 mg if BW 40–65 kg and 8 mg/kg if BW ≤40 kg. In case of no improvement, the second dose may be repeated after 8–24 hours. Contraindicated in patients with: absolute neutrophil count <⁠2000/µl; active

    tuberculosis.11

or
  • Baricitinib orally 4 mg a day until the end of hospitalization, but not longer than 14 days; recommended especially in patients requiring high‑flow oxygen therapy. There is no evidence of benefit with tocilizumab. Contraindicated in patients with: eGFR <⁠30 ml/min/1.73 m

    2

    , dose reduced to 2 mg daily in patients with eGFR 30–60 ml/min/1.73 m

    2

    and >75 years of age; risk of thrombosis and embolism; active

    tuberculosis.12

and / or
  • Dexamethasone phosphate administered intravenously in a daily dose of 6–8 mg

    c

    for 7–10 days

  • Low‑molecular‑weight heparin in prophylactic or therapeutic doses

  • Antibiotic therapy in the case of secondary bacterial infections

  • Symptomatic treatment

  • Low- / high‑flow oxygen therapy

  • Intravenous hydration

Stage 4: acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
  • Unsuccessful pharmacotherapy to date

  • Need for mechanical ventilation

  • ICU treatment is required

  • Dexamethasone phosphate administered intravenously in a daily dose of 6–8 mg

    c

    for 7–10 days. If dexamethasone is not available, other corticosteroids may be given at equivalent doses, eg: hydrocortisone, 3 × 50 mg intravenously; methylprednisolone 4 × 10 mg intravenously; prednisone 1 × 40 mg orally

and / or
  • Tocilizumab in combination with dexamethasone can be administered to patients who require mechanical lung ventilation. It should be administered as soon as possible, in the first 24 hours of ventilation. Contraindicated in patients with: absolute neutrophil count <⁠2000/µl; active

    tuberculosis.11

  • High‑flow oxygen therapy

  • Noninvasive ventilation

  • Invasive ventilation

  • Extracorporeal veno‑venous transmembrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) in selected patients

  • Low‑molecular‑weight heparin in prophylactic or therapeutic doses depending on the clinical situation

  • Empiric antibiotic therapy is strongly discouraged unless there is evidence of a bacterial infection.

Author names and affiliations: Robert Flisiak, Andrzej Horban, Jerzy Jaroszewicz, Dorota Kozielewicz, Agnieszka Mastalerz‑Migas, Radosław Owczuk, Miłosz Parczewski, Małgorzata Pawłowska, Anna Piekarska, Krzysztof Simon, Krzysztof Tomasiewicz, Dorota Zarębska‑Michaluk (RF: Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Bialystok, Białystok, Poland; AH: Department of Infectious Diseases for Adults, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; JJ: Department of Infectious Diseases in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland; DK and M. Pawłowska: Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz, Poland; AM‑M: Department of Family Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland; RO: Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdańsk, Poland; M. Parczewski: Department of Infectious, Tropical Diseases and Acquired Immunodeficiency, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland; AP: Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland; KS: Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland; KT: Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland; DZ‑M: Department of Infectious Diseases, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland)
Conflict of interest: RF received research grants from Gilead and honoraria for lectures from Gilead, MSD, Roche; JJ received honoraria for lectures from Gilead, MSD, Roche, Bausch; DK and DZ‑M received honoraria for lectures from Gilead; M. Parczewski and M. Pawłowska received honoraria for lectures from Gilead, MSD, Roche; AP, KS, and KT received honoraria for lectures from Gilead, MSD, Roche; other authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
  1. Flisiak R, Horban A, Jaroszewicz J, et al D. Management of SARS‑CoV‑2 infection: recommendations of the Polish Association of Epidemiologists and Infectiologists as of April 26, 2021. Pol Arch Intern Med. 2021; 131: 487‑496. | Crossref
  2. Mahase E. Covid‑19: Molnupiravir reduces risk of hospital admission or death by 50% in patients at risk, MSD reports. BMJ. 2021; 375: n2422. | Crossref
  3. Fischer W, Eron JJ, Holman W, et al. Molnupiravir, an oral antiviral treatment for COVID‑19. medRxiv. Preprint posted online June 17, 2021.
  4. Marconi VC, Ramanan AV, de Bono S, et al; COV‑BARRIER Study Group. Efficacy and safety of baricitinib for the treatment of hospitalised adults with COVID‑19 (COV‑BARRIER): a randomised, double‑blind, parallel‑group, placebo‑controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet Respir Med. 2021 Aug 31. [Epub ahead of print].
  5. Weinreich DM, Sivapalasingam S, Norton T, et al; Trial Investigators. REGEN‑COV antibody combination and outcomes in outpatients with Covid‑19. N Engl J Med. 2021 Sep 29. [Epub ahead of print].