Cardiac function in critically ill patients with severe COVID: A prospective cross-sectional study in mechanically ventilated patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate cardiac function in mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective, cross-sectional multicenter study in four university-affiliated hospitals in Chile. All consecutive patients with COVID-19 ARDS requiring mechanical ventilation admitted between April and July 2020 were included. We performed systematic transthoracic echocardiography assessing right and left ventricular function within 24 h of intubation. RESULTS: 140 patients aged 57 ± 11, 29% female were included. Cardiac output was 5.1 L/min [IQR 4.5-6.2] and 86% of the patients required norepinephrine. ICU mortality was 29% (40 patients). Fifty-four patients (39%) exhibited right ventricle dilation out of whom 20 patients (14%) exhibited acute cor pulmonale (ACP). Eight out of the twenty patients with ACP exhibited pulmonary embolism (40%). Thirteen patients (9%) exhibited left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction <45%). In the multivariate analysis acute cor pulmonale and PaO2/FiO2 ratio were independent predictors of ICU mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Right ventricular dilation is highly prevalent in mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 ARDS. Acute cor pulmonale was associated with reduced pulmonary function and, in only 40% of patients, with co-existing pulmonary embolism. Acute cor pulmonale is an independent risk factor for ICU mortality.

Critical care echocardiography in prone position patients during COVID-19 pandemic: a feasibility study.

PURPOSE: Critical care echocardiography is a fundamental tool in the hemodynamic evaluation of critically ill patients and prone position ventilation might limit its application. We aim to evaluate the feasibility of transthoracic echocardiography to assess different measurements performed in prone vs supine position in patients during COVID-19 pandemic to answer our research question: What is the feasibility of classic echocardiographic measurements in COVID-19 patients in prone position ventilation? METHODS: Patients with covid-19 admitted to ICUs in four academic hospitals with respiratory failure and on mechanical ventilation were evaluated with critical care echocardiography. The first ultrasound assessment was compared between prone and supine patients recording feasibility of several echocardiographic measurements, using Fisher's exact test complementing with Crombach's Alpha. RESULTS: 139 patients were included. Sixty-eight (49%) were evaluated in prone position and seventy one (51%) in supine position. Most variables were highly feasible, left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction were more possible to obtain in prone position, while cardiac output was in supine position. Tricuspid regurgitation was the least feasible overall measurement. CONCLUSION: Prone position ultrasound achieved a high feasibility of measurements compared with supine ultrasound in critically ill patients with COVID-19 respiratory failure and on mechanical ventilation. REGISTRATION: Post hoc analysis of Echo-COVID study (NTC04628195, registered November 13, 2020, retrospectively registered).

Experiencia de manejo de pacientes críticos con COVID-19 en Hospital Barros Luco: análisis descriptivo en un hospital público de alta complejidad / Experience of managing critical patients with COVID-19 at Hospital Barros Luco: descriptive analysis in a high complexity public Hospital

RELEVANCIA: La pandemia por COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease-2019) se origina en diciembre de 2019. En Chile, a la fecha se han reportado 13.037 fallecidos con un enorme costo y esfuerzo asistencial, siendo limitada aun la evidencia en Chile acerca de esta enfermedad. OBJETIVOS: Describir el perfil clínico y ventilatorio de los pacientes con COVID-19 que requirieron manejo en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos en un Hospital Terciario de la Región Metropolitana. MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo, observacional y retrospectivo. Se extrajeron los datos de 64 pacientes ingresados entre el 24 de Marzo y el 15 de Mayo de 2020 en la UCI del Hospital Ramón Barros Luco Trudeau en el Sector Sur de la Región Metropolitana. Los resultados primarios en el estudio fueron Mortalidad en UCI, Mortalidad Intrahospitalaria y Mortalidad a 28 días. RESULTADOS: La mortalidad en UCI fue del 20%, existiendo una asociación entre Hipertensión Arterial y Enfermedad más Grave. La obesidad se asoció con mayores días UCI. En cuanto al soporte ventilatorio, 75% de los pacientes requirió apoyo con VMI al ingreso. Existe un perfil de mejor Compliance pulmonar y bajo potencial de reclutamiento durante la primera semana. Sin embargo, entre el 7mo. y 14vo día de enfermedad existe una rápida progresión hacia menor compliance pulmonar en cierto grupo de pacientes. CONCLUSIONES: Los casos más graves de COVID-19 se dan en pacientes de avanzada edad, hipertensos y obesos, con un aumento significativo en mortalidad cuando asociaron enfermedad renal crónica sobre todo en hemodiálisis. La progresión hacia deterioros severos de la elastancia pulmonar probablemente constituyen el signo ominoso de la enfermedad.