Dexamethasone lowers deaths by one-third in severe Covid-19 patients: Study

Low doses of the steroid dexamethasone can reduce deaths by one-third in ventilated Covid-19 patients, according to researchers who assessed the performance of the inexpensive drug in more than 2,100 patients.

The analysis is part of the RECOVERY (Randomised Evaluation of Covid-19 Therapy) trial which was established to test a range of potential therapies for Covid-19, including low-dose dexamethasone -- a steroid treatment.

The RECOVERY trial included over 11,500 patients, enrolled from more than 175 hospitals in the UK, noted a statement by the University of Oxford.

In the trial, a total of 2,104 patients were randomised to receive dexamethasone