Effect of Tocilizumab Treatment on Seroconversion in Hyperinflammation Secondary to Covid 19

Abstract

Aim:During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the management of hyperinflammation, a serious symptom that occurs secondary to the disease, has emerged as a major challenge. Tocilizumab, an immunosuppressive drug, offers a potential solution. However, it is extremely important to understand its effects on antibody formation after recovery from Covid-19. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the effects of tocilizumab treatment on antibody production by measuring SARS-COV-2 spike total antibody levels at the third month post-infection in patients receiving this specific treatment. Materyal and Methods:Our study incorporated 48 patients diagnosed with Covid 19 who presented with hyperinflammation during hospitalization. These patients, admitted to our institution, were treated with tocilizumab and subsequently discharged. We meticulously determined the 3rd month SARS-COV-2 spike total antibody levels in these patients. Results:The participants of the study, characterized by a mean age of 52.5 ± 11.6 years, demonstrated positive SARS-COV-2 spike total antibody levels at 3 months, irrespective of age, gender, comorbidity, and length of hospital stay. The mean antibody levels in the patient population were quantified to be 223.58 ± 68.36 U/mL, with a range from 14.2 to 250 U/mL. Conclusion: Our findings reveal that all patients exhibited positive antibody levels at 3 months following tocilizumab treatment.This suggests that the administration of tocilizumab in the management of hyperinflammation secondary to Covid 19 does not adversely affect antibody formation, at least in the short term. This could have substantial implications for future treatment strategies.