A study of effect of remdesivir on mortatlity and hospital stay of moderate to severe cases of COVID-19/ severe acute respiratory illness in North Karnataka region

Background: As the epidemic that started at Wuhan spread globally many agents with antiviral activity were evaluated for the treatment of coronavirus disease. Many agents were claimed to be “Game changer” in the management of covid. Likewise Remdesivir received much attention leading to high demand of a scarcely produced antiviral agent, which many a times was out of stock in our region. Methods: In this retrospective observational study data of patients admitted in Al Ameen Medical College Hospital with moderate to severe form of SARS CoV 2 / SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS was evaluated retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups i.e. those who received remdesivir and those who could not avail. Statistical analysis was done to determine mortality benefit of Remdesivir and influence on hospital stay. Results: 293 patients were studied and out of them 56 received remdesivir. Mortality was 32.1% among those who received and in the other group 17.7%. Mean hospital stay was 11.7 days with SD of 11.6 among those who received remdesivir and in the other group it was 7.3 days mean hospital stay with SD of 4.7days. Conclusion: Our study showed no benefit in the outcome and hospital stay among patients receiving remdesivir. However we concede that the number patients receiving remdesivir was less and this is a limitation. Although this was a small scale study with limited number of patients, it represents a point of reference for the use of remdesivir at other hospitals.