Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 2, 2025
Investigating the Alleviating Effects of Bacillus cereus Administration on Colitis through Gut Microbiota Modulation
Published on: July 27, 2022
A Case Control Study to Evaluate the Impact of Colchicine on Patients Admitted to the Hospital with Moderate to
Tegveer Sandhu1, Arlene Tieng1, Sridhar Chilimuri1
1Department of Internal Medicine, BronxCare Health System, Bronx, NY 10457, USA.
Insights
Colchicine treatment improved outcomes for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), reducing mortality and intubation rates. This study suggests colchicine may be a beneficial addition to standard care for COVID-19 patients.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Colchicine, used for hyperinflammatory conditions, was investigated for its potential in treating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
- The study was conducted during a COVID-19 surge in New York City.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of colchicine in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
- To evaluate colchicine's impact on mortality, intubation, and inflammatory markers.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study of COVID-19 patients receiving standard care plus colchicine versus standard care alone.
- Analysis focused on patients with at least two timepoint measurements for key inflammatory markers (CRP, D-dimer, ferritin, LDH).
Main Results:
- Colchicine significantly reduced mortality (47.1% vs. 80.8%) and intubation rates (47.1% vs. 87.2%).
- Patients receiving colchicine experienced higher discharge rates (52.9% vs. 19.2%) and notable decreases in D-dimer, CRP, and ferritin.
- While comorbid conditions were similar, renal failure was higher in the control group.
Conclusions:
- Colchicine improved clinical outcomes for COVID-19 patients on standard therapy.
- Further randomized, placebo-controlled trials are recommended to confirm colchicine's benefits in COVID-19.
Background:
Colchicine has been used in conditions such as periodic febrile illness, acute pericarditis, and gouty arthritis, all having a common hyperinflammatory response as seen in moderate to severe forms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This project was carried out during the rapid surge of cases in New York City, and the goal was to assess the efficacy of colchicine in treating patients with COVID-19.
Methods:
Patients admitted to two distinct pulmonary oriented floors of the BronxCare Hospital Center were compared. Patients on one floor were given colchicine in addition to standard of care, while control patients from another floor received only standard of care. Patients who had at least two separate timepoint measurements for at least two out of four serum inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, ferritin, or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) were selected for the final comprehensive analysis.
Results:
An initial analysis performed on all patients, irrespective of the availability of two timepoint inflammatory markers, revealed a lower mortality (49.1% versus 72.9%, P = 0.002), a lower percentage of intubations (52.8% versus 73.6%, P = 0.006), and a higher discharge rate (50.9% versus 27.1%, P = 0.002), in the patients who received colchicine. Patients in the final comprehensive analysis groups (34 in the colchicine group and 78 in the control group) had a similar prevalence of comorbid medical conditions, except for renal failure, which was higher in the control group (65.3% versus 35.2%, P = 0.015). HTN (71.8% versus 52.9%, P = 0.053) and DM (51.3% versus 32.4%, P = 0.064) were also more prevalent in the control group, although the difference was not statistically significant. Patients who received colchicine had a lower mortality than the control group (47.1% versus 80.8%, P = 0.0003), lower rate of intubations (47.1% versus 87.2%, P < 0.0001), and a higher discharge rate (52.9% versus 19.2%, P = 0.0003). Patients in the colchicine group also showed a more significant decrease in inflammatory markers for D-dimer (P = 0.037), CRP (P = 0.014), and ferritin (P = 0.012).
Conclusions:
Our study demonstrates that colchicine improved outcomes in patients with COVID-19 receiving standard of care therapy. Future randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials to assess the potential benefit of colchicine in COVID-19 are warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:26COPD: Management Using Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids
01:17Pericarditis III: Medical Management
01:29Drugs for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in IBD
01:21Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Glucocorticoids
01:29Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents
01:14Myocarditis III: Medical Management