Early Use of Corticosteroid May Prolong SARS-CoV-2 Shedding in Non-Intensive Care Unit Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Multicenter, Single-Blind, Randomized Control Trial

<b><i>Background:</i></b> There is still no clinical evidence available to support or to oppose corticosteroid treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> To investigate the efficacy and safety of corticosteroid given to the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This was a prospective, multicenter, single-blind, randomized control trial. Adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who were admitted to the general ward were randomly assigned to either receive methylprednisolone or not for 7 days. The primary end point was the incidence of clinical deterioration 14 days after randomization. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We terminated this trial early because the number of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in all the centers decreased in late March. Finally, a total of 86 COVID-19 patients underwent randomization. There was no difference of the incidence of clinical deterioration between the methylprednisolone group and control group (4.8 vs. 4.8%, <i>p</i> = 1.000). The duration of throat viral RNA detectability in the methylprednisolone group was 11 days (interquartile range, 6–16 days), which was significantly longer than that in the control group (8 days [2–12 days], <i>p</i> = 0.030). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in other secondary outcomes. Mass cytometry discovered CD3⁺ T cells, CD8⁺ T cells, and NK cells in the methylprednisolone group which were significantly lower than those in the control group after randomization (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.05). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> From this prematurely closed trial, we found that the short-term early use of corticosteroid could suppress the immune cells, which may prolong severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 shedding in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. <b><i>Trial Registration:</i></b> ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04273321.