Lung UltraSound Targeted Recruitment (LUSTR): A Novel Protocol to Optimize Open Lung Ventilation in Critically Ill Neonates.

This study investigated the effectiveness of an original Lung UltraSound Targeted Recruitment (LUSTR) protocol to improve the success of lung recruitment maneuvers (LRMs), which are performed as a rescue approach in critically ill neonates. All the LUSTR maneuvers, performed on infants with an oxygen saturation/fraction of inspired oxygen (S/F) ratio below 200, were included in this case-control study (LUSTR-group). The LUSTR-group was matched by the initial S/F ratio and underlying respiratory disease with a control group of lung recruitments performed following the standard oxygenation-guided procedure (Ox-group). The primary outcome was the improvement of the S/F ratio (Delta S/F) throughout the LRM. Secondary outcomes included the rate of air leaks. Each group was comprised of fourteen LRMs. As compared to the standard approach, the LUSTR protocol was associated with a higher success of the procedure in terms of Delta S/F (110 ± 47.3 vs. 64.1 ± 54.6, p = 0.02). This result remained significant after adjusting for confounding variables through multiple linear regressions. The incidence of pneumothorax was lower, although not reaching statistical significance, in the LUSTR-group (0 vs. 14.3%, p = 0.15). The LUSTR protocol may be a more effective and safer option than the oxygenation-based procedure to guide open lung ventilation in neonates, potentially improving ventilation and reducing the impact of ventilator-induced lung injury.

What was behind the first recognition and characterization of autochthonous SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Italy: The impact on European scenario.

An Italian male with no link to China Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic presented at Emergency Room (ER) with severe respiratory impairment. The RT-PCR on 20 February 2020, nasopharyngeal swab revealed SARS-CoV-2 infection, confirmed with viral culture and sequencing. This was the first identified autochthonous SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Italy, that unveiled global pathogen diffusion. This clinical case highlights an underestimation of SARS-CoV-2 circulation, making initial containment measures unfit to face the real situation and delaying the management of potentially affected SARS-CoV-2 patients.

Risk Factors Associated With Mortality Among Patients With COVID-19 in Intensive Care Units in Lombardy, Italy.

Importance: Many patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are critically ill and require care in the intensive care unit (ICU). Objective: To evaluate the independent risk factors associated with mortality of patients with COVID-19 requiring treatment in ICUs in the Lombardy region of Italy. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective, observational cohort study included 3988 consecutive critically ill patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 referred for ICU admission to the coordinating center (Fondazione IRCCS [Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico] Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy) of the COVID-19 Lombardy ICU Network from February 20 to April 22, 2020. Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay of nasopharyngeal swabs. Follow-up was completed on May 30, 2020. Exposures: Baseline characteristics, comorbidities, long-term medications, and ventilatory support at ICU admission. Main Outcomes and Measures: Time to death in days from ICU admission to hospital discharge. The independent risk factors associated with mortality were evaluated with a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: Of the 3988 patients included in this cohort study, the median age was 63 (interquartile range [IQR] 56-69) years; 3188 (79.9%; 95% CI, 78.7%-81.1%) were men, and 1998 of 3300 (60.5%; 95% CI, 58.9%-62.2%) had at least 1 comorbidity. At ICU admission, 2929 patients (87.3%; 95% CI, 86.1%-88.4%) required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). The median follow-up was 44 (95% CI, 40-47; IQR, 11-69; range, 0-100) days; median time from symptoms onset to ICU admission was 10 (95% CI, 9-10; IQR, 6-14) days; median length of ICU stay was 12 (95% CI, 12-13; IQR, 6-21) days; and median length of IMV was 10 (95% CI, 10-11; IQR, 6-17) days. Cumulative observation time was 164 305 patient-days. Hospital and ICU mortality rates were 12 (95% CI, 11-12) and 27 (95% CI, 26-29) per 1000 patients-days, respectively. In the subgroup of the first 1715 patients, as of May 30, 2020, 865 (50.4%) had been discharged from the ICU, 836 (48.7%) had died in the ICU, and 14 (0.8%) were still in the ICU; overall, 915 patients (53.4%) died in the hospital. Independent risk factors associated with mortality included older age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.75; 95% CI, 1.60-1.92), male sex (HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.31-1.88), high fraction of inspired oxygen (Fio2) (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.10-1.19), high positive end-expiratory pressure (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.06) or low Pao2:Fio2 ratio (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.74-0.87) on ICU admission, and history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.28-2.19), hypercholesterolemia (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.02-1.52), and type 2 diabetes (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01-1.39). No medication was independently associated with mortality (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.97-1.42; angiotensin receptor blockers HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.85-1.29). Conclusions and Relevance: In this retrospective cohort study of critically ill patients admitted to ICUs in Lombardy, Italy, with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, most patients required IMV. The mortality rate and absolute mortality were high.

COVID-19 Epidemic in the Middle Province of Northern Italy: Impact, Logistics, and Strategy in the First Line Hospital.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) began in China in early December 2019 and rapidly has spread to many countries around the globe, with the number of confirmed cases increasing every day. An epidemic has been recorded since February 20 in a middle province in Northern Italy (Lodi province, in the low Po Valley). The first line hospital had to redesign its logistical and departmental structure to respond to the influx of COVID-19-positive patients who needed hospitalization. Logistical and structural strategies were guided by the crisis unit, managing in 8 days from the beginning of the epidemic to prepare the hospital to be ready to welcome more than 200 COVID-19-positive patients with different ventilatory requirements, keeping clean emergency access lines, and restoring surgical interventions and deferred urgent, routine activity.

Lung Ultrasound in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

The "gold" standard radiological method for the diagnosis of the lung findings in COVID-19 patients is known to be the chest high-resolution computed tomography. However, in a mass casualty scenario, as in times of COVID-19 epidemics, in which emergency departments, intensive care units, and whole hospitals are massive overcrowded and continue to change their original configuration, a more rapid, flexible, and performant diagnostic approach is required. Moreover, the high contagiousness of these patients and the risk of transporting critical patients make chest computed tomography (CT) a limited option for them. Lung ultrasonography, a rapid, reliable, bedside, nonradiating and repeatable examination, with its sensitivity closed to chest CT and much higher than the chest X-ray for COVID patients, has proved to be in COVID-19 pandemic as crucial diagnostic and monitoring tool of patients with acute respiratory failure. It could be performed in the prehospital setting, in the emergency department (as part of the diagnostic approach), up to the normal wards and the intensive care unit. The aim of this article is to describe the central role of LUS in the management of COVID-19 critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, as valid diagnostic and monitoring point-of-care technique.

Relation between peak and integral of the diaphragm electromyographic activity at different levels of support during weaning from mechanical ventilation: a physiologic study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between peak (EAdipeak) and area under the curve (EAdiAUC) of diaphragm electrical activity, and to evaluate the validity of their ratio (P/I index) as a measure of the imbalance between drive and sustainability of effort demand at different support levels. MATERIALS: Prospective physiological study on 18 ready-to-wean patients ventilated with neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) undergoing 2 levels of NAVA (NAVA100% and NAVA50%) followed by a weaning trial with continuous positive airway pressure, according to which patients were classified as success or failure. Tidal volume (VT), respiratory rate, EAdipeak, EAdiAUC, rapid shallow breathing index (respiratory rate/VT), neuroventilatory index (VT/EAdipeak), and P/I index were obtained at the end of each step. RESULTS: The slopes of regression line between EAdipeak and EAdiAUC (a mathematical equivalent of P/I index) and P/I index were significantly higher in failures. At variance with other variables, P/I index did not vary with level of support. P/I index was inversely correlated with inspiratory time at all support levels. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between EAdipeak and EAdiAUC and the P/I index may give important information on the balance between respiratory drive and inspiratory demand sustainability.