Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness, dosing trends, and discharge outcomes associated with corticosteroid therapy in hospitalized COVID-19 patients at a tertiary care center in South India.
METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using patient case records from a COVID-specialized hospital. Data included demographics, diagnostic workup, oxygen saturation at admission and discharge, corticosteroid dosing regimens, and concurrent therapies. COVID-19 severity was assessed via CT severity scores and CO-RADS grading. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate clinical outcomes and inpatient resource utilization.
RESULTS: Among patients admitted between ages 19-58, the highest prevalence was in the 29-38 age group. Males were more frequently admitted than females. All patients underwent CT imaging; most were tested via both RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen methods. Upon admission, 78.3% had normal SpO₂ levels, which normalized in all discharged patients. Most CT findings were classified as CO-RADS 4.
Methylprednisolone 40 mg daily and dexamethasone were the most commonly used corticosteroids, typically administered for 4-7 days. Corticosteroids were given alongside antivirals, antibiotics, anticoagulants, oxygen therapy, and IV fluids. Among discharged patients, recovery was 100%, with no reported corticosteroid-related adverse events.
CONCLUSIONS: In this real-world cohort, corticosteroids—particularly methylprednisolone—were effective and well-tolerated in treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients, with full recovery observed in all non-fatal cases. These findings support the continued inclusion of corticosteroids in treatment protocols during respiratory viral surges and highlight their cost-effective role in low-resource inpatient settings.