Table 1.
Baseline demographic, clinical and laboratory data and treatment
| Characteristic | Corticosteroids treatment (n = 50) |
Baricitinib and corticosteroids treatment (n = 62) |
P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline patients characteristics | |||
| Age, median (IQR), years | 64 (57–69) | 63 (52–72) | 0.881 |
| Sex, n (%) | 0.734 | ||
| Men | 34 (68) | 44 (71) | |
| Women | 16 (32) | 18 (29) | |
| Time from illness onset, median (IQR), days | 7 (5–10) | 7 (5–10) | 0.464 |
| Length of hospital stay, median (IQR), days | 13 (10–16) | 14 (11–19) | 0.093 |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | |||
| Arterial hypertension | 25 (50.0) | 32 (51.6) | 0.865 |
| Diabetes | 3 (6.0) | 18 (29.0) | 0.002 |
| Hypercholesterolaemia | 16 (32.0) | 23 (37.1) | 0.574 |
| Signs and symptoms, respiratory function and NEWS | |||
| Axillary temperature, median (IQR), °C | 37.6 (37.1–38.2) | 37.4 (36.8–37.9) | 0.233 |
| Altered mental status, n (%) | 2 (4.0) | 2 (3.2) | 1.000 |
| Systolic blood pressure, median (IQR), mmHg | 125 (113–135) | 125 (119–135) | 0.548 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, median (IQR), mmHg | 80 (71–85) | 80 (71–85) | 0.550 |
| Heart rate, median (IQR), beats/min | 90 (81–96) | 90 (80–101) | 0.743 |
| Respiratory rate, median (IQR), breaths/min | 18 (16–24) | 22 (18–26) | 0.012 |
| Oxygen saturation at ED, median (IQR), % | 87 (85–89) | 86 (83–88) | 0.522 |
| Inhaled oxygen at ED | 42 (84.4) | 56 (90.3) | 0.315 |
| High-flow oxygen, non-invasive ventilation (ward), n (%) | 23 (46.0) | 31 (50.0) | 0.674 |
| NEWS score, median (IQR), 0–20 | 6 (5–8) | 7 (6–9) | 0.149 |
| Laboratory parameters | |||
| CRP, median (IQR), mg/l (normal range <6) | 128 (90–194) | 170 (84–232) | 0.205 |
| Ferritin, median (IQR), ng/ml (normal range 30–400) | 1794 (1054–2416) | 1489 (905–2753) | 0.501 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase, median (IQR), U/l (normal range 125–220) | 412 (359–508) | 419 (336–517) | 0.847 |
| D-dimer, median (IQR), ng/ml (≤500) | 897 (658–1859) | 1187 (747–2325) | 0.158 |
| Lymphocyte count, median (IQR), ×103 cells/μl (levels ≥1000) | 590 (410–720) | 610 (533–813) | 0.102 |
| Treatment | |||
| Methylprednisolone, total dose, median (IQR), mg | 500 (375–750) | 500 (375–750) | 0.585 |
| Baricitinib scheme | |||
| Low-dose baricitinib, n (%) | 40 (64.5) | ||
| High-dose baricitinib, n (%) | 22 (35.5) | ||
| Baricitinib days of intake, median (IQR) | 5 (5–6) | ||
| Baricitinib total dose, median (IQR), mg | 15 (12–20) | ||
Laboratory parameters were considered at the peak of the patient’s respiratory deterioration. ED: emergency department; IQR: interquartile range; NEWS: National Early Warning Score.