MERS-CoV and steroids

Q: Glucocorticoids have a beneficial effect on Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.

A) True

B) False

Answer: B

Although steroids have shown some efficacy and were largely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, glucocorticoid treatment failed to show any benefit in MERS-CoV infections. Instead, it was found to be associated with a delay in virus clearance. 

The only treatment that has some benefit, though statistically not significant, is the combination of lopinavir/ritonavir plus subcutaneous interferon (IFN)-beta-1b.

#ID

References:

1. Falzarano D, de Wit E, Rasmussen AL, et al. Treatment with interferon-α2b and ribavirin improves outcome in MERS-CoV-infected rhesus macaques. Nat Med 2013; 19:1313.

2. Arabi YM, Mandourah Y, Al-Hameed F, et al. Corticosteroid Therapy for Critically Ill Patients with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2018; 197:757.