Trust staff instrumental in recovery trial success 

Posted: 18 June 2020

Congratulations to Dr Raha West and the Trust ICU team on the contribution they made to the success of the Recovery Trial its discovery of a drug proven to be of positive benefit to COVID-19 patients.

Dexamethasone, one of the drugs tested on COVID-19 patients at Stoke Mandeville Hospital as part of the research trial, is the first drug to show reduced risk of dying by a third in ventilated patients and a fifth in those receiving oxygen only.

More than 150 people took part in the study at Stoke Mandeville and Wycombe hospitals.

In the UK-wide trial, 2,104 patients were randomly allocated dexamethasone once a day for ten days and compared with 4,321 patients randomly allocated usual care alone.

Dr Raha West, an anaesthetist and Principal Investigator for the trial at the Trust, said: “In the absence of robust evidence on medical intervention that can benefit our COVID-19 patients, it is paramount to gather data on potential treatments as efficiently as we can. Here in Buckinghamshire, we are focused on recruiting to this crucial trial with the support from our colleagues and patients.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said this week (16 June): “This astounding breakthrough is testament to the incredible work being done by our scientists behind the scenes. From today the standard treatment for COVID-19 will include dexamethasone, helping save thousands of lives while we deal with this terrible virus.”

The University of Oxford’s Professor Peter Horby, the trial’s Chief Investigator, said: “This is the first drug to be shown to improve survival in COVID-19. This is an extremely welcome result.
“Dexamethasone is cheap, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide.”

A patient's experience of the trial

Katherine Millbank, aged 55, took part in the Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial during two weeks she spent in intensive care at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. 

The Ledburn resident said: “It’s fantastic news that this drug works. Not just for me, but for the researchers, NHS and patients in hospital with this disease. I’m so pleased to find out that something is working to help us fight COVID-19.”

Katherine described her experience of the onset of her illness: “I was under a thick blanket in the lounge and I was asking my husband to turn the fire on because I was shivering so much. My joints were aching, I had a cough. It was a scary time for me.”

She was taken to hospital on 26 March. “I was so ill that I don’t really remember getting in the ambulance. I still get emotional about it.”

She was placed on ventilation in ICU after testing positive for COVID-19. “The virus made me feel weak. I tried to have a sandwich and it felt like I was lifting a brick. I was exhausted after each bite.

“I remember thinking ‘I can’t fight this anymore, I’ve had enough of it’ but then I dreamt my husband was there telling me I was going to pull through, which helped me a lot.”

Katherine said: “A doctor asked if I wanted to take part in a research trial and I said ‘yes’, but I wasn’t really coherent so they called my husband for his consent.”

Husband of 32 years, Paul Millbank, 55, who had mild symptoms, said: “Knowing she was in ICU was horrible as I couldn’t see her, but I felt reassured that she was under the best care at hospital.

“A doctor called to ask if I’d be happy for them to trial existing drugs to treat her and I said ‘absolutely’. We’re all for helping medicine.”

Katherine, who left hospital on 10 April, said: “I remember coming out of ICU and seeing all of the staff clapping for me. It was very emotional.

“I’m pleased to be home and I’m improving every day. I’m going for walks with my husband and I’ve started cycling about two miles a day.

“We’re all human beings and we all want to help each other. I’d tell others to take part in these trials as anyone can catch this virus, so everyone will benefit from their results.”

Katherine, pictured above with husband Paul.

RECOVERY study

The trial is supported by a grant to the University of Oxford from UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and by core funding provided by NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Department for International Development, Health Data Research UK, the Medical Research Council Population Health Research Unit, and NIHR Clinical Trials Unit Support Funding.

The NIHR has nationally prioritised 48 COVID-19 studies. Find out more at www.nihr.ac.uk/covid-studies.