Proactive anti-inflammatory therapy with colchicine in the treatment of advanced stages of new coronavirus infection. The first results of the COLORIT study

Abstract

Actuality The course of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is unpredictable. In some cases, it manifests as increasing inflammation that leads to a cytokine storm and irreversible progression to acute respiratory syndrome, which is associated with the risk of death. Thus, proactive anti-inflammatory therapy remains an open, serious question for patients with COVID-19 and pneumonia. This is especially true for those patients who still have signs of inflammation on days 7–9 of the disease. These signs include elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) >60 mg/dl and at least two of the four clinical signs: 1) fever >37.5°C; 2) persistent cough; 3) dyspnea (RR >20 brpm) and/or reduced arterial oxygen saturation (SaO