Study led by Manitoba doctor shows promising treatment for COVID-19 patients
A global trial led by Winnipeg and Canadian researchers is showing promising results in treating some COVID-19 cases.
Dr. Ryan Zarychanski’s study on blood thinners in COVID positive patients was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study found that treating some hospitalized patients with blood thinners increases their chance of survival and reduces their need for intensive care.
"A blood thinner drug that has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties has been shown in our large global trial to increase survival without the need for ICU-level care," said Zarychanski.
That drug is heparin, an inexpensive and widely available medication used to treat blood clots. Blood clots and inflammation were noted early on in the pandemic as serious complications of COVID-19.
“For us to demonstrate that a drug that is incredibly inexpensive, widely available around the world and familiar to doctors all over the globe, for us to demonstrate that this drug could be used too, and can save lives and reduce the burden of critical illness on health-care systems is a huge win,” said Zarychanski.
The findings could impact patient care immediately, with Zarychanski saying physicians within organized health-care systems could start using heparin molecules to treat patients admitted to hospital with the virus, but who are not yet critically ill.
"We think it will reduce the burden of critical illness due to COVID-19 by approximately 25 per cent when used in health systems that adopt that therapy," said Zarychanski.
While results in December of 2020 showed no benefits to those already critically ill, the researchers say it could be a key tool in saving the lives of non-critically ill patients by knowing who to target.
The study was also the first of its kind, a clinical trial on a global scale during a pandemic. Zarychanski said the methods developed during the study will change how researchers approach large-scale clinical trials in the future.
“We developed methods that allowed independent platforms, so independent research entities can still maintain their independence but work collaboratively,” said Zarychanski.
The trial spanned five continents and involved patients from 300 hospitals.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.