LAUSR

Abstract Currently, the world is facing the pandemic of a novel strain of beta‐coronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most devastating complication of SARS‐CoV‐2. It was indicated that cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and dominantly IL‐6 play a central role in the pathophysiology of ARDS related to the novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID‐19). Despite the global emergency of the disease, at this time, there are no proven therapies for the management of the disease. Tocilizumab is a potential recombinant monoclonal antibody against IL‐6 and currently is under investigation for the management of ARDS in patients with COVID‐19. Given these points, we reviewed the current evidence regarding the potential therapeutic role of tocilizumab and its important clinical issues in the treatment of ARDS related to COVID‐19. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved