ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of pneumomediastinum (PM) and/or pneumothorax (PTX) in patients with severe pneumonia due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was evaluated. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study conducted in patients admitted to the intermediate respiratory care unit (IRCU) of a COVID-19 monographic hospital in Madrid (Spain) between December 14, 2020 and September 28, 2021. All patients had a diagnosis of severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and required noninvasive respiratory support (NIRS): high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP). The incidences of PM and/or PTX, overall and by NIRS, and their impact on the probabilities of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and death were studied. RESULTS: A total of 1306 patients were included. 4.3% (56/1306) developed PM/PTX, 3.8% (50/1306) PM, 1.6% (21/1306) PTX, and 1.1% (15/1306) PM + PTX. 16.1% (9/56) of patients with PM/PTX had HFNC alone, while 83.9% (47/56) had HFNC + CPAP/BiPAP. In comparison, 41.7% (521/1250) of patients without PM and PTX had HFNC alone (odds ratio [OR] 0.27; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.13-0.55; p < .001), while 58.3% (729/1250) had HFNC + CPAP/BiPAP (OR 3.73; 95% CI 1.81-7.68; p < .001). The probability of needing IMV among patients with PM/PTX was 67.9% (36/53) (OR 7.46; 95% CI 4.12-13.50; p < .001), while it was 22.1% (262/1185) among patients without PM and PTX. Mortality among patients with PM/PTX was 33.9% (19/56) (OR 4.39; 95% CI 2.45-7.85; p < .001), while it was 10.5% (131/1250) among patients without PM and PTX. CONCLUSIONS: In patients admitted to the IRCU for severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia requiring NIRS, incidences of PM/PTX, PM, PTX, and PM + PTX were observed to be 4.3%, 3.8%, 1.6%, and 1.1%, respectively. Most patients with PM/PTX had HFNC + CPAP/BiPAP as the NIRS device, much more frequently than patients without PM and PTX. The probabilities of IMV and death among patients with PM/PTX were 64.3% and 33.9%, respectively, higher than those observed in patients without PM and PTX, which were 21.0% and 10.5%, respectively.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Many patients with COVID-19 require respiratory support and close monitoring. Intermediate respiratory care units (IRCU) may be valuable to optimally and adequately implement noninvasive respiratory support (NRS) to decrease clinical failure. We aimed at describing intubation and mortality in a novel facility entirely dedicated to COVID-19 and to establish their outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational study performed at one hospital in Spain. We included consecutive subjects age > 18 y, admitted to IRCU with COVID-19 pneumonia, and requiring NRS between December 2020-September 2021. Data collected included mode and usage of NRS, laboratory findings, endotracheal intubation, and mortality at day 30. A multivariable Cox model was used to assess risk factors associated with clinical failure and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 1,306 subjects were included; 64.6% were male with mean age of 54.7 y. During the IRCU stay, 345 subjects clinically failed NRS (85.5% intubated; 14.5% died). Cox model showed a higher clinical failure in IRCU upon onset of symptoms and hospitalization was < 10 d (hazard ratio [HR] 1.59 [95% CI 1.24-2.03], P < .001) and PaO2 /FIO2 < 100 mm Hg (HR 1.59 [95% CI 1.27-1.98], P < .001). These variables were not associated with increased 30-d mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The IRCU was a valuable option to manage subjects with COVID-19 requiring NRS, thus reducing ICU overload. Male sex, gas exchange, and blood chemistry at admission were associated with worse prognosis, whereas older age, gas exchange, and blood chemistry were associated with 30-d mortality. These findings may provide a basis for better understanding outcomes and to improve management of noninvasively ventilated patients with COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To date, 750â000 patients with COVID-19 worldwide have required mechanical ventilation and thus are at high risk of acute brain dysfunction (coma and delirium). We aimed to investigate the prevalence of delirium and coma, and risk factors for delirium in critically ill patients with COVID-19, to aid the development of strategies to mitigate delirium and associated sequelae. METHODS: This multicentre cohort study included 69 adult intensive care units (ICUs), across 14 countries. We included all patients (aged ≥18 years) admitted to participating ICUs with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection before April 28, 2020. Patients who were moribund or had life-support measures withdrawn within 24 h of ICU admission, prisoners, patients with pre-existing mental illness, neurodegenerative disorders, congenital or acquired brain damage, hepatic coma, drug overdose, suicide attempt, or those who were blind or deaf were excluded. We collected de-identified data from electronic health records on patient demographics, delirium and coma assessments, and management strategies for a 21-day period. Additional data on ventilator support, ICU length of stay, and vital status was collected for a 28-day period. The primary outcome was to determine the prevalence of delirium and coma and to investigate any associated risk factors associated with development of delirium the next day. We also investigated predictors of number of days alive without delirium or coma. These outcomes were investigated using multivariable regression. FINDINGS: Between Jan 20 and April 28, 2020, 4530 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to 69 ICUs, of whom 2088 patients were included in the study cohort. The median age of patients was 64 years (IQR 54 to 71) with a median Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II of 40·0 (30·0 to 53·0). 1397 (66·9%) of 2088 patients were invasively mechanically ventilated on the day of ICU admission and 1827 (87·5%) were invasively mechanical ventilated at some point during hospitalisation. Infusion with sedatives while on mechanical ventilation was common: 1337 (64·0%) of 2088 patients were given benzodiazepines for a median of 7·0 days (4·0 to 12·0) and 1481 (70·9%) were given propofol for a median of 7·0 days (4·0 to 11·0). Median Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale score while on invasive mechanical ventilation was -4 (-5 to -3). 1704 (81·6%) of 2088 patients were comatose for a median of 10·0 days (6·0 to 15·0) and 1147 (54·9%) were delirious for a median of 3·0 days (2·0 to 6·0). Mechanical ventilation, use of restraints, and benzodiazepine, opioid, and vasopressor infusions, and antipsychotics were each associated with a higher risk of delirium the next day (all p≤0·04), whereas family visitation (in person or virtual) was associated with a lower risk of delirium (p<0·0001). During the 21-day study period, patients were alive without delirium or coma for a median of 5·0 days (0·0 to 14·0). At baseline, older age, higher SAPS II scores, male sex, smoking or alcohol abuse, use of vasopressors on day 1, and invasive mechanical ventilation on day 1 were independently associated with fewer days alive and free of delirium and coma (all p<0·01). 601 (28·8%) of 2088 patients died within 28 days of admission, with most of those deaths occurring in the ICU. INTERPRETATION: Acute brain dysfunction was highly prevalent and prolonged in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Benzodiazepine use and lack of family visitation were identified as modifiable risk factors for delirium, and thus these data present an opportunity to reduce acute brain dysfunction in patients with COVID-19. FUNDING: None. TRANSLATIONS: For the French and Spanish translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.