Inhaled corticosteroids for the treatment of COVID-19

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has caused severe illness and mortality for millions worldwide. Despite the development, approval and rollout of vaccination programmes globally to prevent infection by SARS-CoV-2 and the development of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), treatments are still urgently needed to improve outcomes. Early in the pandemic it was observed that patients with pre-existing asthma or COPD were underrepresented among those with COVID-19. Evidence from clinical studies indicates that the inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) routinely taken for asthma and COPD could have had a protective role in preventing severe COVID-19 and, therefore, may be a promising treatment for COVID-19. This review summarises the evidence supporting the beneficial effects of ICS on outcomes in patients with COVID-19 and explores the potential protective mechanisms.