ABSTRACT
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges due to the high numbers and the high symptom burden of end-of-life patients on respiratory support. Methods We conducted an audit of end-of-life patients on the respiratory HDU wards at Whipps Cross Hospital between 17/09/2020-30/01/2021. Results 84 patients receiving respiratory support (in the form of CPAP and HFNT) died during that time at a mean age of 77 (95% CI 67-87) and median of 79 years. All but one death, which followed a cardiac arrest, were expected. The most common clinical indicator for a patient approaching end-of-life was hypoxia on respiratory support, which was documented in 36 (43%) patients, followed by terminal agitation in 27 (32%) patients. Objections to the medical assessment of terminal illness were raised by 3 families and in 1 case the patient had conflicting wishes. The average time between recognition of a terminal deterioration and death was 1.4 days with a median of 2 days. 29 (35%) patients did not have a specialist palliative care review primarily due to the rapid patient deterioration. 25 (30%) patients were not visited by a relative due to the infection risk. 72 (86%) patients were weaned off respiratory support and those who continued did so due to a medical or patient decision. Despite most patients (82%) receiving continuous subcutaneous infusions with an opiate and benzodiazepine most patients had persistent terminal symptoms: 51 (74%) on infusions had agitation and 38 (55%) were persistently breathlessness. Discussion This data highlights some of the major difficulties faced in caring for patients with COVID on respiratory support and approaching end of life. With the inevitably persisting nature of this pandemic and the possibility of future pandemics still present, it is vital to be able to offer guidance and multidisciplinary input to ensure comfort and dignity for these patients.
ABSTRACT
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has seen an unprecedented number of adults receiving non-invasive respiratory support (NIRS) with such patients having a high mortality rate.MethodsAs part of better elucidating the challenges of end of life care delivery in the COVID era, we conducted an audit of our respiratory HDU ward at Whipps Cross Hospital focusing on a 19-week period between 17/09/2020–30/01/2021 and on patients who did not survive their admission. We excluded patients that were transferred to ITU.ResultsOf a total of 309 patients receiving NIRS on our ward, 84 died during that time at a mean age of 77 (95% CI 67–87) and median of 79 years. 63 patients received CPAP, 67 received HFNT and 42 were first started on HFNT and converted to CPAP. The average length of stay was 10 days (4–16). The mean day of symptoms on presentation to hospital was 11.5 days (1.7–21.3). Average duration of symptoms prior to admission to our ward was 19.7 (9.1–30.3) days.One death was unexpected and followed a cardiac arrest. The most common indicator for a patient approaching end-of-life was hypoxia on NIRS, which was documented in 36 (43%) patients, followed by terminal agitation in 27 (32%) patients. The average time between recognising end-of-life and death was 1.4 days with a median of 2 days. 72 (86%) patients were weaned off NIRS and those who continued did so due to a medical or patient decision. Despite the vast majority (82% of patients) being on syringe drivers with an opiate and benzodiazepine most patients had persistent terminal symptoms: 51 (74%) had agitation and 38 (55%) were persistently breathlessness. Interestingly, no patient opted to rest in the prone position.DiscussionThis data primarily suggests the challenging nature of managing end-of-life care for COVID patients deteriorating on NIRS due to the high symptom load and the short time there is to achieve comfort for these individuals. Clinicians need to conduct frequent comfort reviews for such patients, consider subcutaneous infusions, as well as potentially an increase in medication doses, in conjunction with specialist palliative care input, in order to achieve comfort.