Low-dose radiation therapy for COVID-19 pneumopathy: what is the evidence?

Roedel F, Arenas M, Ott O, Fournier C, Georgakilas AG, Tapio S, Trott KR, Gaipl U (2020)

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

Strahlentherapie und Onkologie Urban & Vogel

DOI: 10.1007/s00066-020-01635-7

Abstract

In the current dismal situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, effective management of patients with pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome is of vital importance. Due to the current lack of effective pharmacological concepts, this situation has caused interest in (re)considering historical reports on the treatment of patients with low-dose radiation therapy for pneumonia. Although these historical reports are of low-level evidence per se, hampering recommendations for decision-making in the clinical setting, they indicate effectiveness in the dose range between 0.3 and 1 Gy, similar to more recent dose concepts in the treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory/degenerative benign diseases with, e.g., a single dose per fraction of 0.5 Gy. This concise review aims to critically review the evidence for low-dose radiation treatment of COVID-19 pneumopathy and discuss whether it is worth investigating in the present clinical situation.

Authors with CRIS profile

Oliver Ott Medizinische Fakultät Udo Gaipl Department of Radiation Oncology

Involved external institutions

National Technical University of Athens / Εθνικό Μετσόβιο Πολυτεχνείο GR Greece (GR) Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (HMGU) / Helmholtz Munich DE Germany (DE) Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) ES Spain (ES) Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main DE Germany (DE) GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH DE Germany (DE) Technische Universität München (TUM) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Roedel, F., Arenas, M., Ott, O., Fournier, C., Georgakilas, A.G., Tapio, S.,... Gaipl, U. (2020). Low-dose radiation therapy for COVID-19 pneumopathy: what is the evidence? Strahlentherapie und Onkologie. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-020-01635-7

MLA:

Roedel, Franz, et al. "Low-dose radiation therapy for COVID-19 pneumopathy: what is the evidence?" Strahlentherapie und Onkologie (2020).

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