ON THE MEXICAN HOUSEHOLDS' SAVINGS BEFORE AND DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

In this research paper we analyze the Mexican household saving rates before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our key research goal is to update the knowledge on this topic and quantify the effects of socioeconomic and sociodemographic covariates as household saving determinants. We apply a quantile regression model taking data from the 2018 and 2020 Encuesta Nacional de Ingresos y Gastos de los Hogares. Our results provide evidence about the heterogeneity of the effects of socioeconomic and sociodemographic household saving determinants, also about the dynamic change of effects associated with the determinants and the household saving rate, as a consequence of the economic crisis derived from COVID-19. © 2023 Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. All rights reserved.

High flow nasal oxygen in patients with COVID-19 associated acute respiratory failure (preprint)

Purpose: Whether the use of high-flow nasal oxygen in adult patients with COVID-19 associated acute respiratory failure improves clinically relevant outcomes remains unclear. We thus sought to assess the effect of high-flow nasal oxygen on ventilator-free days, compared to early initiation of invasive mechanical ventilation, on adult patients with COVID-19. Methods: : We conducted a multicentre cohort study using a prospectively collected database of patients with COVID-19 associated acute respiratory failure admitted to 36 Spanish and Andorran intensive care units (ICUs). Main exposure was the use of high-flow nasal oxygen (conservative group), while early invasive mechanical ventilation (within the first day of ICU admission; early intubation group) served as the comparator. The primary outcome was ventilator-free days at 28 days. ICU length of stay and all-cause in-hospital mortality served as secondary outcomes. We used propensity score matching to adjust for measured confounding. Results: : Out of 468 eligible patients, a total of 122 matched patients were included in the present analysis (61 for each group). When compared to early intubation, the use of high-flow nasal oxygen was associated with an increase in ventilator-free days (mean difference: 8.0 days; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.4 to 11.7 days), and a reduction in ICU length of stay (mean difference: -8.2 days; 95% CI -12.7 to -3.6 days). No difference was observed in all-cause in-hospital mortality between groups (odds ratio: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.25 to 1.64). Conclusions: The use of high-flow nasal oxygen upon ICU admission in adult patients with COVID-19 related acute hypoxemic respiratory failure may lead to an increase in ventilator-free days and a reduction in ICU length of stay, when compared to early initiation of invasive mechanical ventilation. Future studies should confirm our findings.

Predictors of failure with high-flow nasal oxygen therapy in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure: a multicentre observational study (preprint)

Purpose We aimed to describe the use of high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) in patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory failure and factors associated with a shift to invasive mechanical ventilation.Methods This is a multicentre, observational study from a prospectively collected database of consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to 36 Spanish and Andorran intensive care units (ICUs) who received HFNO on ICU admission during a 22-week period (March 12-August 13, 2020). Outcomes of interest were factors on the day of ICU admission associated with the need for endotracheal intubation. We used multivariable logistic regression and mixed effects models. A predictive model for endotracheal intubation in patients treated with HFNO was derived and internally validated.Results From a total of 259 patients initially treated with HFNO, 140 patients (54%) required invasive mechanical ventilation. Baseline non-respiratory Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score [odds ratio (OR) 1.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.41–2.35], and the ROX index calculated as the ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to inspired oxygen fraction divided by respiratory rate (OR 0.53; 95% CI: 0.37–0.72), and pH (OR 0.47; 95% CI: 0.24–0.86) were associated with intubation. Hospital site explained 1% of the variability in the likelihood of intubation after initial treatment with HFNO. A predictive model including non-respiratory SOFA score and the ROX index showed excellent performance (AUC 0.88, 95%CI 0.80–0.96).Conclusions Among adult critically ill patients with COVID-19 initially treated with HFNO, the SOFA score and the ROX index may help to identify patients with higher likelihood of intubation.

Awake prone positioning does not reduce the risk of intubation in COVID-19 treated with High-Flow Nasal Oxygen therapy. A multicenter, adjusted cohort study (preprint)

Background: Awake prone positioning (awake-PP) in non-intubated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients could avoid endotracheal intubation, reduce the use of critical care resources, and improve survival. We aimed to examine whether the combination of high-flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNO) with awake-PP prevents the need for intubation when compared to HFNO alone. Methods Prospective, multicentre, adjusted observational cohort study in consecutive COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) receiving respiratory support with HFNO from 12 March to 9 June, 2020. Patients were classified as HFNO with or without awake-PP. Logistic models were fitted to predict treatment at baseline using the following variables: age, sex, obesity, non-respiratory sequential organ failure assessment score, APACHE-II, C-reactive protein, days from symptoms onset to HFNO initiation, respiratory rate and peripheral oxyhemoglobin saturation. We compared data on demographics, vital signs, laboratory markers, need for invasive mechanical ventilation, days to intubation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality between HFNO patients with and without awake-PP. Results A total of 1076 patients with COVID-19 ARF were admitted, of which 199 patients received HFNO and were analyzed. Fifty-five (27.6%) were pronated during HFNO; 60 (41%) and 22 (40%) patients from the HFNO and HFNO+awake-PP groups were intubated. The use of awake-PP as an adjunctive therapy to HFNO did not reduce the risk of intubation [RR 0.87 (95%CI: 0.53–1.43), p=0.60]. Patients treated with HFNO+awake-PP showed a trend for delay in intubation compared to HFNO alone [median 1 (interquartile range, IQR 1.0-2.5) vs 2 IQR 1.0-3.0] days, (p=0.055), but awake-PP did not affect 28-day mortality [RR 1.04 (95%CI: 0.40–2.72), p=0.92]. Conclusion In patients with COVID-19 ARF treated with HFNO, the use of awake-PP did not reduce the need for intubation or affect mortality.

Early Corticosteroids Decrease Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19: A Cohort Study (preprint)

Background: Critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) have a high fatality rate likely due to a dysregulated immune response. Corticosteroids could attenuate this inappropriate response, although there are still some concerns regarding its use, timing, and dose. Methods: : This is a nationwide, prospective, multicenter, observational, cohort study in critically ill adult patients with COVID-19 admitted into Intensive Care Units (ICU) in Spain from March 12 th to June 29 th , 2020. Using a multivariable Cox model with inverse probability weighting, we compared relevant outcomes between patients treated with early corticosteroids (before or within the first 48h of ICU admission) with those who did not receive early corticosteroids or any corticosteroids at all. Primary endpoint was ICU mortality. Secondary endpoints included 7-day mortality, ventilator-free days, and complications. Results: : A total of 691 patients out of 882 (78.3%) received corticosteroid during their hospital stay. Patients treated with early-corticosteroids (n=485) had a lower ICU mortality (30.3% vs 40.6%, HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.57-0.89) and higher number of ventilator-free days (mean difference 2.5 days, 95% CI 1.3-3.8) compared to non-early treated patients. There were no differences in 7-day mortality (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.48-1.2), medical complications (OR 2.18, 95% CI 0.91-5.25) or secondary infections (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.67-1.15) between both groups. Of note, early use of moderate-to-high doses was associated with better outcomes than low dose regimens. Conclusion: Early use of corticosteroids in critically ill patients with COVID-19 is associated with lower mortality (10.3% absolute risk reduction) and shorter duration of mechanical ventilation.