Delayed dexamethasone treatment at initiation of oxygen supplementation for coronavirus disease 2019 is associated with the exacerbation of clinical condition

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) frequently causes inflammatory lung injury as its symptoms progress. While dexamethasone reportedly reduces inflammation and prevents progression to respiratory failure, the appropriate time to administer dexamethasone in patients with COVID-19 remains unclear. METHODS: This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study, where we consecutively enrolled patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who received oxygen and oral dexamethasone (n = 85). We assessed the association between the number of days to the initiation of dexamethasone and the cumulative rate of exacerbation defined as death or initiation of mechanical ventilation within 28 days of symptom onset. RESULTS: The optimal cut-off value from the initiation of oxygen supplementation to that of dexamethasone administration was two days (sensitivity, 85%; specificity, 59%), whereas that from oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) < 95% to the initiation of dexamethasone administration was five days (sensitivity, 78%; specificity, 59%). adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, Charlson comorbidity index score, time of oxygen supplementation (two or more days), and SpO(2) < 95% (five or more days), Cox regression analysis results showed that delayed dexamethasone administration since the initiation of oxygen supplementation was significantly associated with a higher risk of death or greater need for mechanical ventilation (hazard ratio: 5.51, 95% confidence interval, 1.79–16.91). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with COVID-19 and hypoxemia, early administration of dexamethasone, preferably less than two days from initiation of oxygen supplementation, may be required to improve clinical outcomes.