Prognostic factors and outcomes in COVID-19 patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation: a retrospective cohort study. (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Melamed, Roman; Paz, Francisco; Jepsen, Stacy; Smith, Claire; Saavedra, Ramiro; Mulder, Maximilian; Masood, Adnan; Huelster, Joshua; Kirkland, Lisa; Guenther, Alena; Boland, Lori
• Is Part Of: Therapeutic advances in respiratory disease. Volume 16(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: COVID-19 virus disease -- intensive care units -- length of stay -- mechanical ventilation -- respiratory failure; Respiratory organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Respiratory agents -- Periodicals; Pulmonary pharmacology -- Periodicals; Respiratory Tract Diseases -- Periodicals; Respiratory System Agents -- therapeutic use -- Periodicals; Respiratory Tract Diseases -- drug therapy -- Periodicals; Lung Diseases -- drug therapy -- Periodicals; Appareil respiratoire -- Maladies -- Traitement -- Périodiques; Agents respiratoires -- Périodiques; Pharmacologie pulmonaire -- Périodiques; 616.2005
• DOI: 10.1177/17534666221086415
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1753-4658

Abstract

Background: Mechanical ventilation (MV) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients is associated with high mortality and extensive resource utilization. The aim of this study was to investigate prognostic factors and outcomes associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) in COVID-19 patients. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 patients requiring invasive MV who were hospitalized between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021 in the intensive care units (ICUs) of three referral hospitals belonging to a single health system. Data were extracted from electronic health records. PMV was defined as > 17 days of MV. Results: Of 355 patients studied, 86 (24%) required PMV. PMV patients had lower PaO2 /FiO2 ratio, higher PCO2, and higher plateau and driving pressures during the first 2 weeks of MV than their short MV (SMV; ⩽ 17 days) counterparts. PMV patients received more proning, neuromuscular blockade, and tracheostomy, had longer ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS), and required discharge to an inpatient rehabilitation facility more frequently (all p < 0.001). Overall 30-day mortality was 43.9%, with no statistically significant difference between PMV and SMV groups. In PMV patients, smoking, Charlson comorbidity index > 6, and week 2 PaO2 /FiO2 ratio < 150 and plateau pressure ⩾ 30 were positively associated with 30-day mortality. In a multivariate model, results were directionally consistent with the univariate analysis but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: PMV is commonly required in COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure. Despite the higher need for critical care interventions and LOS, more than half of the PMV cohort survived to hospital discharge. Higher PaO2 /FiO2 ratio, lower plateau pressure, and fewer comorbidities appear to be associated with survival in this group.