Asthma drug shortens early COVID-19 recovery time, study reports
A commonly used asthma drug shorterns recovery time in COVID-19 patients at risk of more severe illness, a study has reported.
Recovery with inhaled budesonide was shortened by an average three days, the University of Oxford’s PRINCIPLE found.
The study is for treatments to help people with COVID-19 symptoms get better quickly and stop them needing to go to hospital.
Inhaled budesonide is a safe, relatively inexpensive and readily available corticosteroid used in inhalers to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
More than 4,700 people have been recruited to the trial, including 275 in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire. People can register online to take part.
Joint Chief Investigator, Professor Richard Hobbs said: “For the first time we have high-quality evidence of an effective treatment that can be rolled out across the community for people who are at most risk of developing more severe illness from COVID-19.
“Unlike other proven treatments, budesonide is effective as a treatment at home and during the early stages of the illness. This is a significant milestone for this pandemic and a major achievement for community-based research.”
Visit the University of Oxford’s website for more information.
