scholarly journals Effects of Methylprednisolone on Ventilator-Free Days in Mechanically Ventilated Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and COVID-19: A Retrospective Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 760
Author(s):  
Mohamed Badr ◽  
Bruno De Oliveira ◽  
Khaled Abdallah ◽  
Ashraf Nadeem ◽  
Yeldho Varghese ◽  
...  

Objectives: There are limited data regarding the efficacy of methylprednisolone in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. We aimed to determine whether methylprednisolone is associated with increases in the number of ventilator-free days (VFDs) among these patients. Design: Retrospective single-center study. Setting: Intensive care unit. Patients: All patients with ARDS due to confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and requiring invasive mechanical ventilation between 1 March and 29 May 2020 were included. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: The primary outcome was ventilator-free days (VFDs) for the first 28 days. Defined as being alive and free from mechanical ventilation. The primary outcome was analyzed with competing-risks regression based on Fine and Gray’s proportional sub hazards model. Death before day 28 was considered to be the competing event. A total of 77 patients met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-two patients (41.6%) received methylprednisolone. The median dose was 1 mg·kg−1 (IQR: 1–1.3 mg·kg−1) and median duration for 5 days (IQR: 5–7 days). Patients who received methylprednisolone had a mean 18.8 VFDs (95% CI, 16.6–20.9) during the first 28 days vs. 14.2 VFDs (95% CI, 12.6–16.7) in patients who did not receive methylprednisolone (difference, 4.61, 95% CI, 1.10–8.12, p = 0.001). In the multivariable competing-risks regression analysis and after adjusting for potential confounders (ventilator settings, prone position, organ failure support, severity of the disease, tocilizumab, and inflammatory markers), methylprednisolone was independently associated with a higher number of VFDs (subhazards ratio: 0.10, 95% CI: 0.02–0.45, p = 0.003). Hospital mortality did not differ between the two groups (31.2% vs. 28.9%, p = 0.82). Hospital length of stay was significantly shorter in the methylprednisolone group (24 days [IQR: 15–41 days] vs. 37 days [IQR: 23–52 days], p = 0.046). The incidence of positive blood cultures was higher in patients who received methylprednisolone (37.5% vs. 17.8%, p = 0.052). However, 81% of patients who received methylprednisolone also received tocilizumab. The number of days with hyperglycemia was similar in the two groups. Conclusions: Methylprednisolone was independently associated with increased VFDs and shortened hospital length of stay. The combination of methylprednisolone and tocilizumab was associated with a higher rate of positive blood cultures. Further trials are needed to evaluate the benefits and safety of methylprednisolone in moderate or severe COVID-19 ARDS.

Author(s):  
Mohamed Badr ◽  
Bruno De Oliveira ◽  
Khaled Abdallah ◽  
Ashraf Nadeem ◽  
Yeldho Varghese ◽  
...  

Objectives: There are limited data regarding the efficacy of methylprednisolone in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. We aimed to determine whether methylprednisolone increases the number of ventilator-free days (VFDs) among these patients. Design: Retrospective single-center study Setting: Intensive care unit Patients: All patients with ARDS due to confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and requiring invasive mechanical ventilation between 1 March and 29 May 2020 were included Interventions: None Measurements and Main Results: The primary outcome was ventilator-free days (VFDs) during the first 28 days, defined as being alive and free from mechanical ventilation. The primary outcome was analyzed with competing-risks regression based on Fine and Gray’s proportional subhazards model. Death before day 28 was considered to be the competing event. A total of 77 patients met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-two patients (41.6%) received methylprednisolone. The median dose was 1 mg.kg-1 (IQR: 1-1.3 mg.kg-1) and median duration of 5 days (IQR:5-7 days). Patients who received methylprednisolone had a mean 18.8 VFDs (95% CI, 16.6-20.9) during the first 28 days vs. 14.2 VFDs (95% CI, 12.6-16.7) in patients who did not receive methylprednisolone (difference, 4.61; 95% CI, 1.10-8.12; P = 0.001). In the multivariable competing-risks regression analysis and after adjusting for potential confounders (ventilator settings, prone position, organ failure support, severity of the disease, tocilizumab, and inflammatory markers), methylprednisolone was independently associated with a higher number of VFDs (subhazards ratio: 0.10, 95%CI: 0.02-0.45; p=0.003). Hospital mortality did not differ between the two groups (31.2% vs. 28.9%, p=0.82). Hospital length of stay was significantly shorter in the methylprednisolone group (24 days [IQR:15-41 days] vs. 37 days [IQR:23-52 days], p=0.046). The incidence of positive blood cultures was higher in patients who received methylprednisolone (37.5% vs. 17.8%, p=0.052). However, 91% of patients who received methylprednisolone also received tocilizumab. The number of days with hyperglycemia was similar in the two groups. Conclusions: Methylprednisolone was independently associated with increased VFDs and shortened hospital length of stay. The combination of methylprednisolone and tocilizumab was associated with a higher rate of positive blood cultures. Further trials are needed to evaluate the benefits and safety of methylprednisolone in moderate or severe COVID-19 ARDS.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S346-S346
Author(s):  
Sarah Norman ◽  
Sara Jones ◽  
David Reeves ◽  
Christian Cheatham

Abstract Background At the time of this writing, there is no FDA approved medication for the treatment of COVID-19. One medication currently under investigation for COVID-19 treatment is tocilizumab, an interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitor. It has been shown there are increased levels of cytokines including IL-6 in severe COVID-19 hospitalized patients attributed to cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Therefore, inhibition of IL-6 receptors may lead to a reduction in cytokines and prevent progression of CRS. The purpose of this retrospective study is to utilize a case-matched design to investigate clinical outcomes associated with the use of tocilizumab in severe COVID-19 hospitalized patients. Methods This was a retrospective, multi-center, case-matched series matched 1:1 on age, BMI, and days since symptom onset. Inclusion criteria included ≥ 18 years of age, laboratory confirmed positive SARS-CoV-2 result, admitted to a community hospital from March 1st – May 8th, 2020, and received tocilizumab while admitted. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included hospital length of stay, total mechanical ventilation days, mechanical ventilation mortality, and incidence of secondary bacterial or fungal infections. Results The following results are presented as tocilizumab vs control respectively. The primary outcome of in-hospital mortality for tocilizumab (n=26) vs control (n=26) was 10 (38%) vs 11 (42%) patients, p=0.777. The median hospital length of stay for tocilizumab vs control was 14 vs 11 days, p=0.275. The median days of mechanical ventilation for tocilizumab (n=21) vs control (n=15) was 8 vs 7 days, p=0.139, and the mechanical ventilation mortality was 10 (48%) vs 9 (60%) patients, p=0.463. In the tocilizumab group, for those expired (n=10) vs alive (n=16), 10 (100%) vs 7 (50%) patients respectively had a peak ferritin > 600 ng/mL, and 6 (60%) vs 8 (50%) patients had a peak D-dimer > 2,000 ng/mL. The incidence of secondary bacterial or fungal infections within 7 days of tocilizumab administration occurred in 5 (19%) patients. Conclusion These findings suggest that tocilizumab may be a beneficial treatment modality for severe COVID-19 patients. Larger, prospective, placebo-controlled trials are needed to further validate results. Disclosures Christian Cheatham, PharmD, BCIDP, Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (Shareholder)


Neonatology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Xingwang Zhu ◽  
Zhichun Feng ◽  
Chengjun Liu ◽  
Liping Shi ◽  
Yuan Shi ◽  
...  

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> To determine whether nasal high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (NHFOV) as a primary mode of respiratory support as compared with nasal continuous airway pressure (NCPAP) will reduce the need for invasive mechanical ventilation in preterm infants (26<sup>0/7</sup>–33<sup>6/7</sup> weeks of gestational age [GA]) with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted in 18 tertiary neonatal intensive care units in China. A total of 302 preterm infants born at a GA of 26<sup>0/7</sup>–33<sup>6/7</sup> weeks with a diagnosis of RDS were randomly assigned to either the NCPAP (<i>n</i> = 150) or the NHFOV (<i>n</i> = 152) group. The primary outcome was the need for invasive mechanical ventilation during the first 7 days after birth. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Treatment failure occurred in 15 of 152 infants (9.9%) in the ­NHFOV group and in 26 of 150 infants (17.3%) in the NCPAP group (95% CI of risk difference: −15.2 to 0.4, <i>p =</i> 0.06). In the subgroup analysis, NHFOV resulted in a significantly lower rate of treatment failure than did NCPAP in the strata of 26<sup>+0/7</sup>–29<sup>+6/7</sup>weeks of GA (11.9 vs. 32.4%, 95% CI of risk difference: −39.3 to −1.7, <i>p =</i> 0.03) and birth weight &#x3c;1,500 g (10.4 vs. 29.6%, 95% CI of risk difference: −33.8 to −4.6, <i>p =</i> 0.01). The rate of thick secretions causing an airway obstruction was higher in the NHFOV group than in the NCPAP group (13.8 vs. 5.3%, 95% CI of risk difference: 1.9–15.1, <i>p =</i> 0.01). No significant differences in other secondary outcomes were found between the NHFOV and NCPAP groups. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> NHFOV was not superior to NCPAP with regard to the primary outcome when applied as the primary respiratory support for RDS in infants between 26<sup>+0/7</sup> and 33<sup>+6/7</sup> weeks of GA. In the subgroup analysis, NHFOV seemed to improve effectiveness than NCPAP in preterm infants &#x3c;30 weeks of GA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Gragueb-Chatti ◽  
Alexandre Lopez ◽  
Dany Hamidi ◽  
Christophe Guervilly ◽  
Anderson Loundou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Dexamethasone decreases mortality in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has become the standard of care during the second wave of pandemic. Dexamethasone is an immunosuppressive treatment potentially increasing the risk of secondary hospital acquired infections in critically ill patients. We conducted an observational retrospective study in three French intensive care units (ICUs) comparing the first and second waves of pandemic to investigate the role of dexamethasone in the occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and blood stream infections (BSI). Patients admitted from March to November 2020 with a documented COVID-19 and requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) for ≥ 48 h were included. The main study outcomes were the incidence of VAP and BSI according to the use of dexamethasone. Secondary outcomes were the ventilator-free days (VFD) at day-28 and day-60, ICU and hospital length of stay and mortality. Results Among the 151 patients included, 84 received dexamethasone, all but one during the second wave. VAP occurred in 63% of patients treated with dexamethasone (DEXA+) and 57% in those not receiving dexamethasone (DEXA−) (p = 0.43). The cumulative incidence of VAP, considering death, duration of MV and late immunosuppression as competing factors was not different between groups (p = 0.59). A multivariate analysis did not identify dexamethasone as an independent risk factor for VAP occurrence. The occurrence of BSI was not different between groups (29 vs. 30%; p = 0.86). DEXA+ patients had more VFD at day-28 (9 (0–21) vs. 0 (0–11) days; p = 0.009) and a reduced ICU length of stay (20 (11–44) vs. 32 (17–46) days; p = 0.01). Mortality did not differ between groups. Conclusions In this cohort of COVID-19 patients requiring invasive MV, dexamethasone was not associated with an increased incidence of VAP or BSI. Dexamethasone might not explain the high rates of VAP and BSI observed in critically ill COVID-19 patients.


2018 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Einberg ◽  
S. Saar ◽  
A. Seljanko ◽  
A. Lomp ◽  
U. Lepner ◽  
...  

Background and Aims: Cardiac injuries are highly lethal lesions following trauma and most of the patients decease in pre-hospital settings. However, studies on cardiac trauma in Estonia are scarce. Thus, we set out to study cardiac injuries admitted to Estonian major trauma facilities during 23 years of Estonian independence. Materials and Methods: After the ethics review board approval, all consecutive patients with cardiac injuries per ICD-9 (861.0 and 861.1) and ICD-10 codes (S.26) admitted to the major trauma facilities between 1 January 1993 and 31 July 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Cardiac contusions were excluded. Data collected included demographics, injury profile, and in-hospital outcomes. Primary outcome was mortality. Secondary outcomes were cardiac injury profile and hospital length of stay. Results: During the study period, 37 patients were included. Mean age was 33.1 ± 12.0 years and 92% were male. Penetrating and blunt trauma accounted for 89% and 11% of the cases, respectively. Thoracotomy and sternotomy rates for cardiac repair were 80% and 20%, respectively. Most frequently injured cardiac chamber was left ventricle at 49% followed by right ventricle, right atrium, and left atrium at 34%, 17%, and 3% of the patients, respectively. Multi-chamber injury was observed at 5% of the cases. Overall hospital length of stay was 13.5 ± 16.7 days. Overall mortality was 22% (n = 8) with uniformly fatal outcomes following left atrial and multi-chamber injuries. Conclusion: Overall, 37 patients with cardiac injuries were hospitalized to national major trauma facilities during the 23-year study period. The overall in-hospital mortality was 22% comparing favorably with previous reports. Risk factors for mortality were initial Glasgow Coma Scale < 9, pre-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and alcohol intoxication.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masood Ur Rahman ◽  
Satish Chandra Nair ◽  
Mehraj Ud Din ◽  
Mohd Dar ◽  
Murriam Masood ◽  
...  

Abstract A myriad of symptoms presented by severely ill mechanically ventilated Covid19 patients has added pressure on the caregivers to explore therapeutic options. Systemic steroids have been reported to therapeutically benefit patients with elevated inflammatory markers, during the severe acute respiratory syndrome, and the Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak. Covid19 disease is characterized by inflammation of the respiratory system and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Given the lack of specific treatment for Covid19, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the therapeutic benefit of methylprednisolone as an add-on treatment for mechanically ventilated hospitalized COVID19 patients with severe covid pneumonia. Data was collected retrospectively from the electronic patient medical records, and inter-rater reliability was determined to limit selection bias. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used to analyze the data. The variables were cross-tabulated with the clinical outcome and the Chi-Square test used to determine association between the outcomes and other independent variables. Patients. Sixty-one percent (43/70) of the Covid19 ARDS patients received standard supportive care, and the remainder were administered. methylprednisolone (40 mg daily to 40 mg q 6 hours). A 28-day all-cause mortality rate, in the methylprednisolone group was 18% (5/27, p < 0.01) significantly lower, compared to the group receiving standard supportive care (51%, 22/43). The median number of days, for the hospital length of stay (18 days), ICU-length of stay (9.5 days), and the number of days intubated (6 days) for the methylprednisolone treated group was significantly lower (p < 0.01), when compared with the standard supportive care group. Methylprednisolone treatment also reduced the C-reactive protein levels, compared to the standard care group on day 7. Our results strengthen the evidence for the role of steroids in reducing mortality, ICU LOS, and ventilator days in mechanically ventilated Covid 19 patients with respiratory distress syndrome.


2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 1900609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bairbre A. McNicholas ◽  
Fabiana Madotto ◽  
Tài Pham ◽  
Emanuele Rezoagli ◽  
Claire H. Masterson ◽  
...  

RationaleWe wished to determine the influence of sex on the management and outcomes in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients in the Large Observational Study to Understand the Global Impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Failure (LUNG SAFE).MethodsWe assessed the effect of sex on mortality, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in patients with ARDS who underwent IMV, adjusting for plausible clinical and geographic confounders.FindingsOf 2377 patients with ARDS, 905 (38%) were female and 1472 (62%) were male. There were no sex differences in clinician recognition of ARDS or critical illness severity profile. Females received higher tidal volumes (8.2±2.1 versus 7.2±1.6 mL·kg−1; p<0.0001) and higher plateau and driving pressures compared with males. Lower tidal volume ventilation was received by 50% of females compared with 74% of males (p<0.0001). In shorter patients (height ≤1.69 m), females were significantly less likely to receive lower tidal volumes. Surviving females had a shorter duration of IMV and reduced length of stay compared with males. Overall hospital mortality was similar in females (40.2%) versus males (40.2%). However, female sex was associated with higher mortality in patients with severe confirmed ARDS (OR for sex (male versus female) 0.35, 95% CI 0.14–0.83).ConclusionsShorter females with ARDS are less likely to receive lower tidal volume ventilation, while females with severe confirmed ARDS have a higher mortality risk. These data highlight the need for better ventilatory management in females to improve their outcomes from ARDS.


2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lúcia Taborda ◽  
Filipa Barros ◽  
Vitor Fonseca ◽  
Manuel Irimia ◽  
Ramiro Carvalho ◽  
...  

<strong>Introduction:</strong> Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome has a significant incidence and mortality at Intensive Care Units. Therefore, more studies are necessary in order to develop new effective therapeutic strategies. The authors have proposed themselves to characterize Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit for 2 years.<br /><strong>Material and Methods:</strong> This was an observational retrospective study of the patients filling the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome criteria from the American-European Consensus Conference on ARDS, being excluded those non invasively ventilated. Demographic data, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome etiology, comorbidities, Gravity Indices, PaO2/FiO2, ventilator modalities and programmation, pulmonary compliance, days of invasive mechanical ventilation, corticosteroids use, rescue therapies, complications, days at<br />Intensive Care Unit and obits were searched for and were submitted to statistic description and analysis.<br /><strong>Results:</strong> A 40 patients sample was obtained, with a median age of 72.5 years (interquartile range = 22) and a female:male ratio of ≈1:1.86. Fifty five percent of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome cases had pulmonary etiology. The mean minimal PaO2/FiO2 was 88mmHg (CI 95%: 78.5–97.6). The mean maximal applied PEEP was 12.4 cmH2O (Standard Deviation 4.12) and the mean maximal used tidal volume was 8.2 mL/ Kg ideal body weight (CI 95%: 7.7–8.6). The median invasive mechanical ventilation days was 10. Forty seven and one half percent of the patients had been administered corticosteroids and 52.5% had been submitted to recruitment maneuvers. The most frequent complication was Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (20%). The median Intensive Care Unit stay was 10.7 days (interquartile range 10.85). The fatality rate was 60%. The probability of the favorable outcome ‘non-death in Intensive Care Unit’ was 4.4x superior for patients who were administered corticosteroids and 11x superior for patients &lt; 65 years old.<br /><strong>Discussion and Conclusions:</strong> Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome is associated with long hospitalization and significant mortality. New prospective studies will be necessary to endorse the potential benefit of steroid therapy and to identify the subgroups of patients that warrant its use.


2020 ◽  
pp. 088506662090680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitchell S. Buckley ◽  
Sumit K. Agarwal ◽  
Roxanne Garcia-Orr ◽  
Rajeev Saggar ◽  
Robert MacLaren

Purpose: Several reports have demonstrated similar effects on oxygenation between inhaled epoprostenol (iEPO) compared to inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Previous studies directly comparing oxygenation and clinical outcomes between iEPO and iNO exclusively in an adult ARDS patient population utilized a weight-based dosing strategy. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and economic impact between iNO and fixed-dosed iEPO for ARDS in adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a major academic medical center between January 1, 2014, and October 31, 2018. Patients ≥18 years of age with moderate-to-severe ARDS were included. The primary end point was to compare the mean change in partial arterial oxygen pressure to fraction of inspired oxygen (Pao 2: Fio 2) at 4 hours from baseline between iEPO and iNO. Other secondary aims were total acquisition drug costs, in-hospital mortality, ICU and hospital length of stay, and duration of mechanical ventilation. Results: A total of 239 patients were included with 139 (58.2%) and 100 (41.8%) in the iEPO and iNO groups, respectively. The mean change in Pao 2: Fio 2 at 4 hours from baseline in the iEPO and iNO groups were 31.4 ± 54.6 and 32.4 ± 42.7 mm Hg, respectively ( P = .88). The responder rate at 4 hours was similar between iEPO and iNO groups (64.7% and 66.0%, respectively, P = .84). Clinical outcomes including mortality, overall hospital and ICU length of stay, and mechanical ventilation duration were similar between iEPO and iNO groups. Estimated annual cost-savings realized with iEPO was USD1 074 433. Conclusion: Fixed-dose iEPO was comparable to iNO in patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS for oxygenation and ventilation parameters as well as clinical outcomes. Significant cost-savings were realized with iEPO use.


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