ABSTRACT
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of chest tubes (CT) inserted via three approaches in COVID-19 patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): open thoracostomies (OT), percutaneously at bedside (PERC), and percutaneously by interventional radiology (PERC IR). Methods: We conducted an institutional review board - approved retrospective study of all COVID-19 patients who required CT placement while undergoing ECMO in our institution from February 2020 till February 2022. Insertions prior to ECMO cannulation or after decannulation, and those related to post-operative lung transplantation during ECMO were excluded from our analysis. Depending on the insertion approach, eligible CT insertion events were divided in three groups: OT, PERC and PERC IR. Data regarding patients' demographics and CT characteristics, clinical indications and associated complications for each group were collected and analyzed. Bleeding related to CT insertion was diagnosed based on requirement of blood transfusion, cessation of anticoagulation and/or ongoing bloody CT output. Results: Study criteria were met by 43 patients, with 35 (83.7%) of male sex. Mean age was 45 years. Mean BMI was 31.6 kg/m2. Forty patients (93.0%) had COVID-related acute respiratory distress syndrome as primary diagnosis. All patients but one had been receiving therapeutic anticoagulation which was held prior to CT insertion. Eighty-seven CT insertion events were recorded, of which 34 (39.1%) comprised the OT group, 20 (23.0%) the PERC group, and 33 (37.9%) the PERC IR group. Table 1 demonstrates a descriptive comparison of CT and insertion data among the three groups. Table 2 depicts the major outcomes among the three groups. Conclusions: For COVID-19 patients on ECMO, insertion of CTs percutaneously by IR is associated with significantly fewer bleeding episodes, transfusions, thoracic consults and explorations in the operating room compared to bedside OT or percutaneous CTs. One third of the percutaneously placed CTs by IR required tube upsizing in the IR suite, a rate still lower compared to the overall CT manipulations or repeat interventions required for CTs inserted via OT or percutaneously at bedside. (Table Presented).
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: To describe the epidemiology of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related critical illness at a diverse academic health system. METHODS: We performed a single-health system, multihospital retrospective cohort study of patients with COVID- 19-related critical illness who were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) at any of five hospitals within the University of Pennsylvania Health System. We report descriptive statistics for patient demographics, comorbidities, acute physiology parameters, receipt of ICU therapies, hospital outcomes, and survivorship. Using multivariable linear and logistic regression, we evaluated trends over time in all-cause 28-day in-hospital mortality, the primary outcome, and in patient acuity, and we evaluated candidate prognostic risk factors for association with mortality. RESULTS: 468 patients with COVID-19-related critical illness had a median age of 65 years (interquartile range [IQR] 54-74), were more likely male (57.7%), were more likely Black race (52.8%), and had a high co-morbidity burden (71.8% with ≥ 2 points on the Charlson Comorbidity Index). At least once during their hospitalization, 319 (68.2%) patients were treated with mechanical ventilation and 121 (25.9%) with vasopressors. Outcomes were notable for 29.9% all-cause 28-day in-hospital mortality (37.0% among those who received mechanical ventilation and 14.8% among those who did not receive mechanical ventilation), 8-day (IQR 3-17) median ICU length of stay, 13-day (IQR 7-25) median hospital length of stay, and 10.8% all-cause 30-day readmission rate. Mortality decreased over time from 43.5% (95% confidence interval 31.3%-53.8%) to 19.2% (11.6%- 26.7%) between the first and last 15-day periods in the fully adjusted model. Risk factors at ICU admission prognostic for mortality included increasing age, peripheral vascular disease, low or high body mass index, abnormal mental status, hypoxemia, tachypnea, and thrombocytopenia. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with COVID-19-related critical illness admitted to the ICU at an academic health system in the U.S., a finite set of patient-level factors were prognostic for mortality and mortality decreased over time.