Synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone is the first trial-proven drug that reduces COVID-19 mortality by suppressing immune system. In contrast, interferons are a crucial component of host antiviral immunity and can be directly suppressed by glucocorticoids. To investigate whether therapeutic interferons can compensate glucocorticoids-induced loss of antiviral immunity, we retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 387 PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients with quasi-random exposure to interferons and conditional exposure to glucocorticoids. Among patients receiving glucocorticoids, early interferon therapy was associated with earlier hospital discharge (adjusted HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.19–2.37) and symptom relief (adjusted HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.06–2.08), while these associations were insignificant among glucocorticoids nonusers. Early interferon therapy was also associated with lower prevalence of prolonged viral shedding (adjusted OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.10–0.57) only among glucocorticoids users. Additionally, these associations were glucocorticoid cumulative dose- and timing-dependent. These findings reveal potential therapeutic synergy between interferons and glucocorticoids in COVID-19 that warrants further investigation.
【저자키워드】 Infectious diseases, Respiratory tract diseases, Immunotherapy, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Glucocorticoids, therapy, interferon, Symptom, immune system, glucocorticoid, Prevalence, Cohort, therapeutic, Patient, prolonged viral shedding, antiviral immunity, synergy, synthetic, association, dose, COVID-19 mortality, 95% CI, hospital discharge, cumulative, Host, analyzed, receiving, adjusted, suppressed, reduce, glucocorticoid dexamethasone, PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patient, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, clinical, therapeutic, synergy, Evidence,