Corticosteroids in COVID-19: pros and cons

Aymen Bahsoun; Yeva Fakih; Rana Zareef; Fadi Bitar; Mariam Arabi

doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1202504

Corticosteroids in COVID-19: pros and cons

Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Aug 14:10:1202504. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1202504. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Aymen Bahsoun¹, Yeva Fakih¹, Rana Zareef^{1

2}, Fadi Bitar^{1

2

3}, Mariam Arabi^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
² Pediatric Department, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
³ Pediatric Department, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.

Abstract

The wide and rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has placed an unanticipated burden on the global healthcare sector. This necessitated a swift response from the international community to reach a solution. Efforts were made in parallel to develop preventative and therapeutic modalities. Since then, drug repurposing has blossomed as a potentially rapid resolution and has included various agents with anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. Corticosteroids, being potent anti-inflammatory agents, have been placed under extensive investigation. Various trials have recorded the beneficial outcome of corticosteroids in decreasing the mortality and morbidity of COVID-19. With the high pace of escalating events, the quality and study design of clinical trials are varied. Therefore, this study aims to explore the role of corticosteroids in COVID-19 disease. It inspects the molecular, pharmacologic, and clinical proof behind this theory.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; corticosteroids; glucocorticoids; steroids.

Publication types

Review