In this Friday’s edition (14) of the Medical Correspondent board, of Novo Dia, neurosurgeon Fernando Gomes talked about the new orientation of the World Health Organization (WHO), which started to recommend two new drugs for the treatment of Covid-19 : Baricitinib and Sotrovimab.
According to the document prepared by experts from the WHO Guidelines Development Group, Baricitinib can be used in severe and critical cases of the disease, while Sotrovimab is for mild cases. The recommendations are based on new evidence from seven clinical trials involving more than 4,000 patients at different stages of the disease.
The WHO presentation also classified the use of Remdesivir and Ivermectin for cases at all scales as a “weak or conditional recommendation”. Hydroxychloroquine received the warning of “strong recommendation against [a utilização]” as well as convalescent plasma.
For Fernando Gomes, the studies presented by the organization are conclusive and provide the necessary safety for the use of medicines. “What we know is that there is scientific evidence, and now with all these publications and evidence, which give the seal and make it possible to say that they have practical use with relevance in the treatment of patients with Covid-19 in specific situations” , he said.
The neurosurgeon explained the origin and functioning of the two substances. Sotrovimab, classified as a monoclonal antibody, works with the production of proteins that specifically bind to parts of the virus considered important for reproduction in the human body – in particular the spike protein.
The use has already been approved by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) since September 2021. “When you have an individual in the viral phase of the infection, but with a high chance of progressing to a serious condition, you can adopt this device.”
“When we take the vaccine, our body produces antibodies in order to neutralize the role of the virus. In this situation, in a specific window, the doctor administers this medication in the hospital, when he realizes that the patient can turn the switch and get into a more serious situation. That’s why it has to be done in a hospital,” he said.
Known for its use in the treatment of arthritis, Baricitinib can act in the regulation of the body’s inflammation process, which usually occurs on the seventh day of infection and worsen the condition. Studies show that the drug can reverse severe disease and reduce the need for artificial ventilation. Like Sotrovimab, the substance received approval from Anvisa in September.
Recalling that the application recommended by the WHO can only be carried out under medical supervision – and that the medicines are not sold in pharmacies – Gomes stressed that the measure is a precaution to avoid “indiscriminate use” and also for an emotional issue of people who contract the disease.
“There are specific protocols with a well-defined clinical picture so that it can be used and reap the benefits that were obtained in the studies.”
The neurosurgeon also acknowledged that the cost of treatments may be higher than usual and that they are part of a “package” within the period of hospitalization. “It needs to be properly used so as not to waste both financially and biologically”, he concluded.
Reference: CNN Brasil
