A cheap steroid treatment has been found to significantly cut mortality rates in COVID-19 patients, according to a study conducted in the UK.

Researchers at Oxford University said a trial showed a low dose of dexamethasone the cut risk of death in patients on ventilators by one third. 

For those being treated with oxygen, the drug cut deaths by one fifth. 

The scientists explain that had the drug been used in the UK from the start of the COVID-19 crisis, it could have saved 5,000 people. 

More than 42,000 people have been recorded as dying with the disease in the UK.

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“Dexamethasone is the first drug to be shown to improve survival in COVID-19,” said Peter Horby, professor of emerging infectious diseases at Oxford.

“This is an extremely welcome result. The survival benefit is clear and large in those patients who are sick enough to require oxygen treatment, so dexamethasone should now become standard of care in these patients.”

He added: “Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide.”

The trial, which also tested hydroxychloroquine, included 11,500 patients at 175 hospitals in the UK. 

Researchers gave 2,104 patients (chosen randomly) 6 mg of dexamethasone once a day for 10 days.

They were compared with 4,321 other patients who received only standard care.

Among the patients who received usual care alone, 28-day mortality was highest in those who required ventilation (41%), intermediate in those patients who required oxygen only (25%) and lowest among those who did not require any respiratory intervention (13%).

Dexamethasone reduced deaths by one-third in ventilated patients and by a fifth in other patients receiving oxygen only, the research found. 

But there was no benefit among those patients who did not require respiratory support.

Based on these results, the scientists explained, one death would be prevented by the treatment of around eight ventilated patients or around 25 patients requiring oxygen alone.