MORE than 500 covid patients who were treated at two north Cumbrian hospitals took part in a groundbreaking medical treatments trials, it has been revealed.

The NHS trust which runs The Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven has proved to be a top recruiter nationally for the scheme, known as the Randomised Evaluation of Covid-19 therapy (RECOVERY trial).

Since its launch in March 2020, the trial - coordinated by Oxford University - has delivered compelling evidence on the efficacy of six treatments, including dexamethasone, a drug which was saves some of the most seriously ill Covid-19 patients.

RECOVERY has also shown that tocilizumab - an anti-inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis treatment - reduces the risk of death for hospitalised patients with severe Covid-19.

Researchers also found that the drug reduces the length of hospital admission, and the risk of patients requiring mechanical ventilation.

The collaborative approach between clinical teams on the wards and research teams meant they were able to recruit as many patients as possible for the trial.

The Clinical Research Team consistently hit a recruitment rate for studies of up to 28% - well above the national 10% target.

This mean that North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and its patients have regularly contributed to life-saving research.

Dr Clive Graham, Consultant Medical Microbiologist at North Cumbria Integrated Care Foundation NHS Trust, said: “Recruitment to the RECOVERY Trial is a huge achievement for the Trust and an example of the great team work by everyone involved in the recruiting of and facilitating of the trial. This kind of work is imperative in our ongoing fight against Covid-19, and we should be extremely proud we were able to offer so much support to this trial.”

RECOVERY is now the second national study to demonstrate the effectiveness of tocilizumab as a treatment for Covid-19 patients after results from another major study last month showed tocilizumab and a second similar drug called sarilumab have a significant impact on survival rates in critically ill patients.

The latest results from RECOVERY show that a much wider cohort of Covid-19 patients can potentially benefit from tocilizumab - beyond those critically ill on mechanical ventilation.

As part of the trial, 2,022 patients recruited from across the UK were randomly allocated to receive tocilizumab by intravenous injection. Results were compared with 2,094 patients randomly allocated to usual care alone. Some 82% of randomised patients were also taking a systemic steroid such as dexamethasone.

The study showed that for every 25 patients treated with tocilizumab, one additional life was saved.

Benefits were seen in all subgroups, including patients requiring oxygen via a simple face mask, in addition to patients in intensive care requiring mechanical ventilators.

For patients who were not on invasive mechanical ventilation when entered into the trial, tocilizumab also significantly reduced the chance of progressing to invasive mechanical ventilation or death from 38% to 33%.

Overall, the data indicated that in Covid-19 patients requiring oxygen and who had significant inflammation, treatment with the combination of dexamethasone plus tocilizumab reduces mortality by about one third for patients requiring simple oxygen and nearly one half for those requiring invasive mechanical ventilation.

The study is jointly funded by the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) Clinical Research Network with UKRI. Delivery of the study is supported by the NIHR Clinical Research Network and the devolved administrations, working alongside the NHS, who together have helped recruit over 38,000 participants at 177 hospital sites across the country.

Professor Caroline Wroe is the Clinical Director for NIHR Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria.

She said: “The North East and North Cumbria has contributed so much to this pivotal trial.

"We are very proud of the achievements of the teams across the region and want to thank all the staff for their exceptional work and dedication. We also want to thank every participant who took part in the study and contributed to the success.”