Management in the ICU

Patients hospitalised due to infection with SARS-CoV-2 frequently require admission to the ICU for organ support. Most of these admissions are due to acute respiratory failure, often fulfilling the criteria for ARDS. This chapter will review current evidence-based management of this patient population. We discuss how oxygenation can be supported via noninvasive and invasive methods, and describe how invasive ventilation should be set to provide lung protection. We discuss how there is no place for routine antiviral, antibiotic and therapeutic anticoagulation in ICU patients with COVID-19-related ARDS, but there is a place for steroids and immunomodulation via anti-IL-6. Finally, we provide an overview of the complications and long-term consequences of critical illness caused by COVID-19.Copyright © ERS 2021.

Predictors of Non-invasive Respiratory Support Failure in COVID-19 Pneumonia (RUTIROX). Preliminary Results

The RUTIROX clinical trial aims to determine clinical predictors of respiratory failure using high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) for acute respiratory failure (ARF) P/F ratio<200 due to COVID-19 pneumonia. Study protocol includes a change to NIV after HFNC failure, prior to endotracheal intubation (ETI). Local ethics committee approval NCT05094661. Method(s): Interventional randomized study in PICU during Mar-Nov 21. In supine position HFNC was started at 60l/min Fio2 0.9, ABG and analysis were controled. If respiratory failure (defined as RR>30 or Sat<92% or P/F<80) occurred, participants were randomized to CPAP/BPAP. At day 28 ETI and death were evaluated. Statistical analysis SPSS. Chi-square tests, U-Mann Whitney and ROC analysis. Result(s): n=128 63% Men. Mean age 62. Mean P/F 164. 49% required NIV (28 CPAP/35 BIPAP). 21.9% required ETI. Mortality 9.3%. Advanced age, diabetes, neoplasia, low P/F ratio, low pO2 and high initial LDH value, were significantly more frequent in HFNC failure group (p-value <0.05). Area Under the ROC curve (AUC) of initial LDH is 0,65 (level of 300 U/L) and LDH at 48h 0,67. AUC of P/F is 0,69 for survival. No differences were found between NIV groups. Conclusion(s): Older age, higher degree of ARF and high LDH value are factors associated with HFNC failure. Despite presenting high intragroup failure frequency values, ETI rate and mortality rate were lower than those reported in other series. (Figure Presented).

Azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus in the environment: Identifying key reservoirs and hotspots of antifungal resistance.

Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic human pathogen that causes aspergillosis, a spectrum of environmentally acquired respiratory illnesses. It has a cosmopolitan distribution and exists in the environment as a saprotroph on decaying plant matter. Azoles, which target Cyp51A in the ergosterol synthesis pathway, are the primary class of drugs used to treat aspergillosis. Azoles are also used to combat plant pathogenic fungi. Recently, an increasing number of azole-naive patients have presented with pan-azole-resistant strains of A. fumigatus. The TR34/L98H and TR46/Y121F/T289A alleles in the cyp51A gene are the most common ones conferring pan-azole resistance. There is evidence that these mutations arose in agricultural settings; therefore, numerous studies have been conducted to identify azole resistance in environmental A. fumigatus and to determine where resistance is developing in the environment. Here, we summarize the global occurrence of azole-resistant A. fumigatus in the environment based on available literature. Additionally, we have created an interactive world map showing where resistant isolates have been detected and include information on the specific alleles identified, environmental settings, and azole fungicide use. Azole-resistant A. fumigatus has been found on every continent, except for Antarctica, with the highest number of reports from Europe. Developed environments, specifically hospitals and gardens, were the most common settings where azole-resistant A. fumigatus was detected, followed by soils sampled from agricultural settings. The TR34/L98H resistance allele was the most common in all regions except South America where the TR46/Y121F/T289A allele was the most common. A major consideration in interpreting this survey of the literature is sampling bias; regions and environments that have been extensively sampled are more likely to show greater azole resistance even though resistance could be more prevalent in areas that are under-sampled or not sampled at all. Increased surveillance to pinpoint reservoirs, as well as antifungal stewardship, is needed to preserve this class of antifungals for crop protection and human health.