NEW DELHI: A higher dose of the Covid-19 drug, dexamethasone, may have less beneficial effects for patients in India as compared with those in Europe, according to a study. Published in The Lancet Regional Health — Southeast Asia journal, the study looked at how well a strong dose of dexamethasone worked for Covid-19 patients.
It considered factors like patient differences and health systems. The team, including researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Denmark, found that a bigger dose of dexamethasone (12 mg) did not seem to be as good as the usual dose (6 mg) for Covid-19 patients in India.
This was seen through survival rates and how well people were doing after 90 and 180 days, said the researchers, which also included from Apollo Hospitals, Chennai; Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai; the George Institute for Global Health, New Delhi, and the University of New South Wales, Australia.
“Our analysis suggests higher dose dexamethasone may have less beneficial effects for patients in India as compared with those in Europe. However, the evidence is weak, and this could represent a chance finding,” the study said.
The researchers also looked at safety, finding no major issues for Indian patients. The study emphasises
that where patients are from can affect how well treatments work. It pointed out that in lower-middle-income countries like India, there are unique challenges that might make the treatment not work as well.
The good news, however, is that the bigger dose did not cause more problems for Indian patients, which is important for their safety. The authors said this is just one study, and more research is needed to be sure of the findings.
The study also reminds us that treatments might work differently in different parts of the world, the researchers commented.
Different folks, different strokes
The research team, including those from Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Denmark, found that a bigger dose of dexamethasone (12 mg) did not seem to be as good as the usual dose (6 mg) for Covid-19 patients in India. While the authors said more research is needed to be sure of the findings, they said the study also reminds them that medical treatments might work differently in different parts of the world.