Methylprednisolone for Patients With COVID-19 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Usual standard of care plus Methylprednisolone (MP) 80 mg/kg IV bolus, followed by MP infusion of 80 mg/day in 240 mL normal saline at 10 mL/h. The infusion is continued for at least eight days and until achieving either a PaO2:FiO2 \> 350 mmHg or a CRP \< 20 mg/L. Treatment is then switched to oral administration of Methylprednisolone 16 mg or 20 mg IV twice daily until CRP returns to \< 20% of normal range and/or PaO2:FiO2 \> 400 or SatHbO2 ≥ 95%. The decision to apply the protocol to Covid-19 is left to the discretion of the treating team for each individual patient.

"usual standard of care:~* oxygen therapy (regular or high-flow) and monitoring~* empiric antibiotic therapy~* mechanical ventilation (invasive or noninvasive)~* ECMO when needed and available~* pronation when possible~* other treatment which can be used are: antivirals, chloroquine, vitamins"