Table 1.

Characteristics of included studies.

Author, yr	Trial countries	Treatment time (d)	Sample size		Age (yr)*		Number of patients (female)		Inclusion criteria	Exclusion criteria	Regimen of control group	Regimen of experiment-al group	Primary outcome†	Duration of follow-up
			Control group	Experimen-tal group	Control group	Experimen-tal group	Control group	Experimen-tal group
E Wesley Ely, et al 2022[14]	Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and the United states	14	50	51	58 ± 8	58 ± 4	20	26	Participants aged ≥ 18 yr of age with positive laboratory confirmed of SARS-CoV2 infection and use of IMV or ECMO at study entry and randomization and at least one elevated inflammatory marker greater than the upper limit of normal range based on the local laboratory result (C-reactive protein, D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase, or ferritin).	Receiving high-dose corticosteroids for ≥ 14 consecutive days in the month before study entry; had major comorbidities such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or adrenal insufficiency; had received convalescent plasma or intravenous immunoglobulin for COVID-19; or had suspected serious active bacterial, fungal, or other infection, or untreated tuberculosis infection.	Placebo for up to 14 d or until discharge from hospital and standard of care	Baricitinib 4mg/d up to 14 d or until discharge from hospital (whichever occurred first) and standard of care	①③④	28 d
Eduardo Perez-Alba, et al 2021[19]	Mexico	14	74	123	58.5 ± 16.5	60.7 ± 13.1	25	49	Participants aged > 18 yr with a positive RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 and at least one of the following: a respiratory rate of 30 or more breaths per minute, a blood oxygen saturation of 93% or less, a ratio of the partial pressure of arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2) of <300 mm Hg, or pulmonary infiltrates in more than 50% of the lung fields.	Hospital stay <24 h; patients without oxygen requirement or patients that received any other therapies such as convalescent plasma, tocilizumab, remdesivir or methylprednisolone.	Dexamethasone 6 mg/d i.v. for 10 d and standard of care	Baricitinib 4 mg/d for 14 d and dexamethasone 6 mg/d i.v. for 10 d and standard of care	①②③④	NA
Jose Luis Rodriguez-Garcia, et al 2020[18]	Spain	3 + 10	50	62	64 (57,69)	63 (52, 72)	16	18	Participants admitted during the observation period with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and respiratory insufficiency (oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry (SpO2) < 92% breathing room air)	Had major comorbidities (chronic heart failure, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with continuous positive airway pressure, advanced chronic kidney disease, active malignancies); Admitted to ICU or died.	Received 3 consecutive days of pulse corticosteroid therapy (corticosteroids pulses) followed by prednisone at a starting dose of 30 mg/d.	Received corticosteroids for 3 d and then prednisone, combined with baricitinib for 5 to 10 d. Baricitinib: 4 mg the first day and then 2mg/d (n = 40) or 4/d (n = 22).	③④	1 mo after discharge
Mar Masiá, et al 2021[20]	Spain	14	95	95	72 (60, 80)	72 (62, 78)	39	35	Participants aged ≥ 18 yr with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and abnormal findings on chest x-ray, and/or severity criteria, including oxygen saturation < 94% and CURB-65 ≥ 2.	Receipt of convalescent plasma or IV immunoglobulin for COVID-19; or suspected serious active infection or untreated tuberculosis infection	Tocilizumab plus dexamethasone plus remdesivir plus standard of care	Baricitinibs plus tocilizumab plus dexamethasone plus remdesivir plus standard of care	①②③④	12 mo
Md. Jahidul Hasan, et al 2021[21]	Bangladesh	14	116	122	59 (54,68)	63 (54.8, 69)	40	39	Participants with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia lesions (bilateral ground-glass opacities) (> 50%) in the chest computerized tomography (CT) scan images at the time of admission and having at least 2 additional signs of severe: (I) dyspnea; (II)oxygen saturation in blood (SpO2) level ≤ 93% on room air; and (III) respiratory rate ≥ 30 breaths/min	Patient with pregnancy; any history of acute/chronic autoimmune disease or active/latent tuberculosis infection; history of hospital stay for > 3 d for any purpose with the last 3 mo; current evidence of bacterial or fungal coinfection	Baricitinib 4mg/d for 14 d plus dexamethasone 0.25 mg/kg/d i.v. plus remdesivir (200 mg loading followed by 100 mg once daily) plus standard of care	Baricitinib 8 mg/d for 14 d plus dexamethasone 0.25 mg/kg/d i.v. plus remdesivir (200 mg loading followed by 100 mg once daily) plus standard of care	①③④	NA
Takuya Tanimoto, et al 2022[17]	Japan	NA	41	41	69 (58, 78)	72 (57, 79)	14	10	Participants with respiratory failure associated with COVID-19	Death or transfer to another hospital within 3 d; history of advanced chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] < 15 mL/ min/1.73 m2); decompensated cirrhosis; or administration of biologics or other JAK inhibitors.	Drugs were given in various combinations at the discretion of the attending physician	Baricitinib plus other drugs were given in various combinations at the discretion of the attending physician	①②③④	NA

i.v. = intravenous, NA = not available.

^*Expressed as mean ± standard deviation or median (interquartile range).

^†①All-cause mortality within 60 d; ② proportion who received mechanical ventilation; ③ length of hospital stay, days; ④ severe adverse event rates (such as venous thromboembolism events, acute kidney failure, and severe allergies).