Corticosteroids for COVID-19 refers to the use of glucocorticoid medications, such as dexamethasone and related agents, to suppress excessive inflammation in patients with disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Corticosteroids are synthetic analogues of adrenal hormones that exert broad anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory…
Corticosteroids for COVID-19 refers to the use of glucocorticoid medications, such as dexamethasone and related agents, to suppress excessive inflammation in patients with disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Corticosteroids are synthetic analogues of adrenal hormones that exert broad anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects by altering the transcription of genes governing immune and inflammatory mediators, thereby dampening cytokine production and the recruitment of inflammatory cells. In COVID-19, severe illness is driven in part by a dysregulated host immune and inflammatory response that can injure the lungs and other organs, producing hypoxaemia and acute respiratory compromise. By attenuating this response, corticosteroids are used to reduce inflammatory lung injury in patients with more severe disease, particularly those requiring supplemental oxygen or respiratory support. Their benefit is closely tied to disease stage, since immunosuppression may be helpful during the hyperinflammatory phase but is generally not indicated in mild infection, where it could impair viral clearance. Use must also weigh adverse effects, including hyperglycaemia, secondary infection, and other complications of immunosuppression. Within coronavirus research, corticosteroids exemplify host-directed therapy that targets the immune response rather than the virus itself, and study in this area addresses indications, timing, dosing, and the balance of benefit and risk in management.
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