Table 1 Participant demographics and baseline characteristics

Sex assigned at birth, n (%)

Male

56 (59.6)

56 (59.6)

112 (59.6)

Female

38 (40.4)

38 (40.4)

76 (40.4)

Age (years), median (IQR)

54 (46–62.5)

51 (43–63)

52 (44–64)

Previous coexisting condition, n (%)

Diabetes

35 (37.2)

33 (35.1)

68 (36.2)

Hypertension

33 (35.1)

33 (35.1)

66 (35.1)

Heart disease

2 (2.1)

2 (2.1)

4 (2.1)

Chronic lung disease

2 (2.1)

6 (6.4)

8 (4.3)

Obesity^a

31 (33)

50 (53.2)

81 (43.1)

Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m²), median (IQR) ^{b, c}

28 (25.5–31.3)

30.1 (27.5–33.3)

28.9 (26.1–28.9)

Time (days) from symptom onset to randomization, median (IQR)

10 (9–13)

10 (8–11)

10 (9–12)

Time (days) from admission to randomization, median (IQR)

2 (1–3)

2 (1–2)

2 (1–3)

Oxygen saturation (%), median (IQR)

84 (77–87)

85 (81.5–88)

85 (80–88)

qSOFA score, median (IQR)^d

1 (0–1)

0 (0–1)

0 (0–1)

qSOFA score = 0, n (%)

44 (46.8)

50 (53.1)

94 (50)

qSOFA score = 1, n (%)

44 (46.8)

39 (41.4)

83 (44.1)

qSOFA score = 2, n (%)

5 (5.3)

5 (5.3)

10 (5.3)

qSOFA score = 3, n (%)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

Laboratory parameters, median (IQR)

Lymphocytes, number/µL^a

695.5 (492.5 -974)

856.7 (580.8 -1323)

773 (519.2–1143)

Neutrophils, number/µL

5932 (4410–9711)

6093 (4085–8813)

5974 (4410–9215)

Monocytes, number/µL

413.5 (281.1–599)

440 (307.8–612.5)

423 (307–599)

D-dimer, µg/mL^e

672 (423.5–1140)

691.5 (461.8–1005)

679 (460.5–1081)

Ferritin, ng/mL^f

636.8 (381.1–1046)

482.5 (256.4–906.2)

547.1 (324.5–994.8)

C-reactive protein (CRP), mg/L^g

12.3 (4.5–19.7)

10.5 (5.5–16.3)

11.4 (5.1–17.8)

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), U/L^h

294 (242–370)

274 (232.3–351)

282 (236–363)

Creatine kinase (CK), IU/Lⁱ

102 (53–203.5)

94.5 (44–140.3)

96 (51–170)

Proinflammatory cytokines levels (pg/mL), mean (SD)

IL-6^j

154 (272.3)

122.7 (206.5)

138 (240.6)

IFN-γ^k

39.7 (129.3)

24.7 (48.8)

31.8 (96.3)

TNF^l

2.08 (7.3)

27.3 (114.3)

15.07 (82.8)

CXCL10 (IP-10)^m

439.1 (261.4)

493.3 (259.6)

469.2 (259.7)

^aP ≤ 0.05;^bP ≤ 0.01.^cBMI information was not available for 10 patients, four in the pyridostigmine group and six in the placebo group. ^dBaseline qSOFA score was not available for one patient in the placebo group. ^eBaseline D-dimer level was not available for one patient in the placebo group and two in the pyridostigmine group. ^fBaseline ferritin level was not available for two patients in the placebo group and one in the pyridostigmine group. ^gBaseline CRP level was not available for two patients in the placebo group. ^hBaseline LDH level was not available for three patients in the placebo group and two in the pyridostigmine group. ⁱBaseline CK level was not available for 13 patients in the placebo group and 12 in the pyridostigmine group. ^jBaseline IL-6 levels were not available for 23 patients in the placebo group and 20 in the pyridostigmine group. ^kBaseline IFN-γ level was not available for 24 patients in the placebo group and 20 in the pyridostigmine group. ^lBaseline TNF level was not available for 23 patients in the placebo group and 19 in the pyridostigmine group. ^mBaseline CXCL10 (IP-10) level was not available for 66 patients in the placebo group and 59 in the pyridostigmine group.