[LifeStyle] Inhaled asthma drug shortens Covid recovery and could be ‘significant for world,’ study finds.

[S9OUL.]

An inhaled drug commonly used for asthma has been shown to shorten the recovery time of Covid-19 sufferers who do not need hospital treatment – a development that has been described as a “significant milestone” in the fight against coronavirus.

British scientists from Oxford University have found that budesonide, an anti-inflammatory medicine, can help accelerate recovery in the over-50s by an average of three days.

The readily available drug, administered via a cheap inhaler twice a day for up to 14 days, can be prescribed through GPs, raising hope that doctors will be able to start treating Covid-19 patients at home early in their illness.

The NHS has issued new guidance saying the medicine should be considered for patients on a “case-by-case basis”.

Experts have hailed the interim findings from the UK’s Principle trial as a major breakthrough in treating Covid-19 outside of hospital.

Oxford’s Professor Gail Hayward, a co-principal investigator in the trial, told a media briefing: “I think this does have significant implications for the world as this is the first time a treatment has been shown to be beneficial for patients in their community.

“The majority of patients who get Covid are in the community. Something that can help them feel better three days sooner is significant.”

For the Principle study, 751 people with symptomatic Covid-19 were treated with budesonide at home over a 14-day period. Their progress was compared with 1,028 patients who were assigned the usual standard of NHS care alone.

The patients were drawn from two groups vulnerable to severe Covid: those aged over 65, and those aged between 50 and 64 with comorbidities, including a weakened immune system, heart disease and lung disease.

Of those who received the asthma drug, the results showed the estimated median time to self-reported recovery was 3.01 days shorter than the control group.