Abstract
Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2022;34(4):519-523
DOI 10.5935/0103-507X.20220314-en
A healthy 55-year-old woman unvaccinated for SARS-CoV-2 was admitted to the hospital with a SARS-CoV-2 infection with rapid clinical deterioration. On the 17th day of disease, she was intubated, and on the 24th day, the patient was referred and admitted to our extracorporeal membrane oxygenation center. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support was initially used to enable lung recovery and allow the patient to rehabilitate and improve her physical condition. Despite an adequate physical condition, the lung function was not adequate to discontinue extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and the patient was considered for lung transplantation. The intensive rehabilitation program was implemented to improve and maintain the physical status throughout all phases. The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation run had several complications that hindered successful rehabilitation: right ventricular failure that required venoarterial-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for 10 days; six nosocomial infections, four with progression to septic shock; and knee hemarthrosis. To reduce the risk of infection, invasive devices (i.e., invasive mechanical ventilation, central venous catheter, and vesical catheter) were removed whenever possible, keeping only those essential for monitoring and care. After 162 days of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support without other organ dysfunction, bilateral lobar lung transplantation was performed. Physical and respiratory rehabilitation were continued to promote independence in daily life activities. Four months after surgery, the patient was discharged.
Abstract
Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2022;34(4):433-442
DOI 10.5935/0103-507X.20210037-en
To analyze and compare COVID-19 patient characteristics, clinical management and outcomes between the peak and plateau periods of the first pandemic wave in Portugal.
This was a multicentric ambispective cohort study including consecutive severe COVID-19 patients between March and August 2020 from 16 Portuguese intensive care units. The peak and plateau periods, respectively, weeks 10 - 16 and 17 - 34, were defined.
Five hundred forty-one adult patients with a median age of 65 [57 - 74] years, mostly male (71.2%), were included. There were no significant differences in median age (p = 0.3), Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (40 versus 39; p = 0.8), partial arterial oxygen pressure/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio (139 versus 136; p = 0.6), antibiotic therapy (57% versus 64%; p = 0.2) at admission, or 28-day mortality (24.4% versus 22.8%; p = 0.7) between the peak and plateau periods. During the peak period, patients had fewer comorbidities (1 [0 - 3] versus 2 [0 - 5]; p = 0.002) and presented a higher use of vasopressors (47% versus 36%; p < 0.001) and invasive mechanical ventilation (58.1 versus 49.2%; p < 0.001) at admission, prone positioning (45% versus 36%; p = 0.04), and hydroxychloroquine (59% versus 10%; p < 0.001) and lopinavir/ritonavir (41% versus 10%; p < 0.001) prescriptions. However, a greater use of high-flow nasal cannulas (5% versus 16%, p < 0.001) on admission, remdesivir (0.3% versus 15%; p < 0.001) and corticosteroid (29% versus 52%, p < 0.001) therapy, and a shorter ICU length of stay (12 days versus 8, p < 0.001) were observed during the plateau.
There were significant changes in patient comorbidities, intensive care unit therapies and length of stay between the peak and plateau periods of the first COVID-19 wave.
Abstract
Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2022;34(3):342-350
DOI 10.5935/0103-507X.20220229-en
To evaluate whether critical SARS-CoV-2 infection is more frequently associated with signs of corticospinal tract dysfunction and other neurological signs, symptoms, and syndromes, than other infectious pathogens.
This was a prospective cohort study with consecutive inclusion of patients admitted to intensive care units due to primary infectious acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring invasive mechanical ventilation > 48 hours. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to three investigators for clinical evaluation, which encompassed the examination of signs of corticospinal tract dysfunction. Clinical data, including other neurological complications and possible predictors, were independently obtained from clinical records.
We consecutively included 54 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, 27 due to SARS-CoV-2 and 27 due to other infectious pathogens. The groups were comparable in most characteristics. COVID-19 patients presented a significantly higher risk of neurological complications (RR = 1.98; 95%CI 1.23 - 3.26). Signs of corticospinal tract dysfunction tended to be more prevalent in COVID-19 patients (RR = 1.62; 95%CI 0.72 - 3.44).
Our study is the first comparative analysis between SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious pathogens, in an intensive care unit setting, assessing neurological dysfunction. We report a significantly higher risk of neurological dysfunction among COVID-19 patients. As such, we suggest systematic screening for neurological complications in severe COVID-19 patients.
Abstract
Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2022;34(3):335-341
DOI 10.5935/0103-507X.20220040-en
To compare the lung mechanics and outcomes between COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome and non-COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome.
We combined data from two randomized trials in acute respiratory distress syndrome, one including only COVID-19 patients and the other including only patients without COVID-19, to determine whether COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome is associated with higher 28-day mortality than non-COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome and to examine the differences in lung mechanics between these two types of acute respiratory distress syndrome.
A total of 299 patients with COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome and 1,010 patients with non-COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome were included in the main analysis. The results showed that non-COVID-19 patients used higher positive end-expiratory pressure (12.5cmH2O; SD 3.2 versus 11.7cmH2O SD 2.8; p < 0.001), were ventilated with lower tidal volumes (5.8mL/kg; SD 1.0 versus 6.5mL/kg; SD 1.2; p < 0.001) and had lower static respiratory compliance adjusted for ideal body weight (0.5mL/cmH2O/kg; SD 0.3 versus 0.6mL/cmH2O/kg; SD 0.3; p = 0.01). There was no difference between groups in 28-day mortality (52.3% versus 58.9%; p = 0.52) or mechanical ventilation duration in the first 28 days among survivors (13 [IQR 5 - 22] versus 12 [IQR 6 - 26], p = 0.46).
This analysis showed that patients with non-COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome have different lung mechanics but similar outcomes to COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome patients. After propensity score matching, there was no difference in lung mechanics or outcomes between groups.
Abstract
Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2022;34(2):295-299
DOI 10.5935/0103-507X.20220028-en
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is a rare clinical and radiological syndrome characterized by vasogenic edema of the white matter of the occipital and parietal lobes, which are usually symmetrical, resulting from a secondary manifestation of acute dysfunction of the posterior cerebrovascular system. We describe a case of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection in a 9-year-old boy who developed acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and required assisted mechanical ventilation. The child developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome, and he was monitored in the pediatric intensive care unit and was provided mechanical ventilation and vasoactive agents for hemodynamic support. Additionally, he developed pulmonary and extrapulmonary clinical manifestations along with neuropsychiatric manifestations that required close follow-up and were verified using brain magnetic resonance imaging for timely intervention. Currently, there are few reports of children with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome associated with multisystem inflammatory syndrome.
Abstract
Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2022;34(1):124-130
DOI 10.5935/0103-507X.20220006-en
The current study assessed the prevalence of troponin elevation and its capacity to predict 60day mortality in COVID-19 patients in intensive care.
A longitudinal prospective single-center study was performed on a cohort of patients in intensive care due to a COVID-19 diagnosis confirmed using real-time test polymerase chain reaction from May to December 2020. A Receiver Operating Characteristic curve was constructed to predict death according to troponin level by calculating the area under the curve and its confidence intervals. A Cox proportional hazards model was generated to report the hazard ratios with confidence intervals of 95% and the p value for its association with 60day mortality.
A total of 296 patients were included with a 51% 60-day mortality rate. Troponin was positive in 39.9% (29.6% versus 49.7% in survivors and non-survivors, respectively). An area under the curve of 0.65 was found (95%CI: 0.59 - 0.71) to predict mortality. The Cox univariate model demonstrated a hazard ratio of 1.94 (95%CI: 1.41 - 2.67) and p < 0.001, but this relationship did not remain in the multivariate model, in which the hazard ratio was 1.387 (95%CI: 0.21 - 1.56) and the p value was 0.12.
Troponin elevation is frequently found in patients in intensive care for COVID-19. Although its levels are higher in patients who die, no relationship was found in a multivariate model, which indicates that troponin should not be used as an only prognostic marker for mortality in this population.
Abstract
Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2022;34(1):107-115
DOI 10.5935/0103-507X.20220005-en
To evaluate clinical practices and hospital resource organization during the early COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.
This was a multicenter, cross-sectional survey. An electronic questionnaire was provided to emergency department and intensive care unit physicians attending COVID-19 patients. The survey comprised four domains: characteristics of the participants, clinical practices, COVID-19 treatment protocols and hospital resource organization.
Between May and June 2020, 284 participants [median (interquartile ranges) age 39 (33 - 47) years, 56.3% men] responded to the survey; 33% were intensivists, and 9% were emergency medicine specialists. Half of the respondents worked in public hospitals. Noninvasive ventilation (89% versus 73%; p = 0.001) and highflow nasal cannula (49% versus 32%; p = 0.005) were reported to be more commonly available in private hospitals than in public hospitals. Mechanical ventilation was more commonly used in public hospitals than private hospitals (70% versus 50%; p = 0,024). In the Emergency Departments, positive endexpiratory pressure was most commonly adjusted according to SpO2, while in the intensive care units, positive end-expiratory pressure was adjusted according to the best lung compliance. In the Emergency Departments, 25% of the respondents did not know how to set positive end-expiratory pressure. Compared to private hospitals, public hospitals had a lower availability of protocols for personal protection equipment during tracheal intubation (82% versus 94%; p = 0.005), managing mechanical ventilation [64% versus 75%; p = 0.006] and weaning patients from mechanical ventilation [34% versus 54%; p = 0.002]. Finally, patients spent less time in the emergency department before being transferred to the intensive care unit in private hospitals than in public hospitals [2 (1 - 3) versus 5 (2 - 24) hours; p < 0.001].
This survey revealed significant heterogeneity in the organization of hospital resources, clinical practices and treatments among physicians during the early COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.