Project description:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has recently evolved as a pandemic disease. Although the respiratory system is predominantly affected, cardiovascular complications have been frequently identified, including acute myocarditis, myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, arrhythmias and venous thromboembolic events. Pericardial disease has been rarely reported. We present a case of acute life-threatening cardiac tamponade caused by a small pericardial effusion in a mechanically ventilated patient with severe COVID-19 associated pneumonia. The patient presented acute circulatory collapse with hemodynamic features of cardiogenic or obstructive shock. Bedside echocardiography permitted prompt diagnosis and life-saving pericardiocentesis. Further investigation revealed no other apparent cause of pericardial effusion except for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cardiac tamponade may complicate COVID-19 and should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute hemodynamic deterioration in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients.
Project description:ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to evaluate clinical outcomes in patients with critical COVID-19 pneumonia requiring invasive mechanical ventilation who were treated with tocilizumab DESIGN: Single-center retrospective cohort study SETTING: Stony Brook University Hospital, a 600-bed academic tertiary medical center in Suffolk County, New York PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients with COVID-19 confirmed by nasopharyngeal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) who were admitted to Stony Brook University Hospital between March 10 and April 2 2020 and required mechanical ventilation in any intensive care unit during their hospitalization EXPOSURE: Treatment with tocilizumab while intubated MAIN OUTCOME: Overall mortality 30 days from the date of intubation RESULTS: Forty-five patients received tocilizumab compared to seventy controls. Baseline demographic characteristics, inflammatory markers, treatment with corticosteroids, and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores were similar between the two cohorts. Patients who received tocilizumab had significantly lower Charlson co-morbidity index (2.0 vs 3.0,P = 0.01) than controls. There was a trend towards younger mean age in the tocilizumab exposed group (56.2 vs 60.6; P = 0.09). In logistic regression analysis there was no reduction in mortality associated with receipt of tocilizumab (odds ratio (OR) 1.04; 95% CI, 0.27-3.75). There was no observed increased risk of secondary infection in patients given tocilizumab (28.9 vs 25.7; OR 1.17; 95% CI, 0.51-2.71).ConclusionWhen controlling for age, severity of illness, and co-morbidities, tocilizumab was not associated with reduction in mortality in this retrospective cohort study of mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Further studies are needed to determine the role of tocilizumab in the treatment of COVID-19.
Project description:RationalePrediction of patients at risk for mortality can help triage patients and assist in resource allocation.ObjectivesDevelop and evaluate a machine learning-based algorithm which accurately predicts mortality in COVID-19, pneumonia, and mechanically ventilated patients.MethodsRetrospective study of 53,001 total ICU patients, including 9166 patients with pneumonia and 25,895 mechanically ventilated patients, performed on the MIMIC dataset. An additional retrospective analysis was performed on a community hospital dataset containing 114 patients positive for SARS-COV-2 by PCR test. The outcome of interest was in-hospital patient mortality.ResultsWhen trained and tested on the MIMIC dataset, the XGBoost predictor obtained area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) values of 0.82, 0.81, 0.77, and 0.75 for mortality prediction on mechanically ventilated patients at 12-, 24-, 48-, and 72- hour windows, respectively, and AUROCs of 0.87, 0.78, 0.77, and 0.734 for mortality prediction on pneumonia patients at 12-, 24-, 48-, and 72- hour windows, respectively. The predictor outperformed the qSOFA, MEWS and CURB-65 risk scores at all prediction windows. When tested on the community hospital dataset, the predictor obtained AUROCs of 0.91, 0.90, 0.86, and 0.87 for mortality prediction on COVID-19 patients at 12-, 24-, 48-, and 72- hour windows, respectively, outperforming the qSOFA, MEWS and CURB-65 risk scores at all prediction windows.ConclusionsThis machine learning-based algorithm is a useful predictive tool for anticipating patient mortality at clinically useful timepoints, and is capable of accurate mortality prediction for mechanically ventilated patients as well as those diagnosed with pneumonia and COVID-19.
Project description:Potential interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the human oral microbiota are currently investigated widely. Patients with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting are at high risk of developing severe complications, including ventilator-associated pneumonia, thus making oral health management important. The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral health status and assess the dysbiosis of cultivable oral bacteriota in COVID-19 patients hospitalized in an ICU with acute respiratory distress within 36 h following intubation. In this prospective cohort study, we recruited 56 adult COVID-19 patients that qualified for mechanical ventilation in the Temporary ICU for COVID-19 Patients of the University Hospital in Krakow. On admission to the ICU, oral health of patients was assessed using the modified Beck Oral Assessment Score (BOAS). Four oral habitats were sampled, namely the buccal mucosa, tongue, buccal dental surface and gingival pocket. Microorganisms were identified by MALDI/TOF mass spectrometry. The mean age of the study population was 66.5 ± 12.7 years, there were 24 (42.9%) females. All patients included in this study were intubated and ventilated in the ICU, with a corresponding high mortality rate (76.8%). On admission to ICU, 76.8% subjects scored 11-20 on the BOAS scale (median 12 [IQR 10-14]), indicating moderate or severe dysfunction of oral health. Potentially pathogenic bacteria were identified in the oral microbiota samples, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in 23.2%, 39.3%, 17.9%, and 19.6% of patients, respectively. Lactobacillus spp. were present in 57.1% subjects. The mean CFU counts of all bacteria strains in dental brushes were 9.3E+5 (1.4E+6) and in gingival pockets 7.6E+5 (1.4E+6). The highest CFU counts were observed for Enterococcus spp. and, Lactobacillus spp., although these did not differ significantly from CFU counts of Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. In this report we comprehensively characterized the oral health condition and cultivable oral bacteriota in COVID-19 patients hospitalized in an ICU with acute respiratory distress within 36 h following intubation. The oral bacteriota showed significant qualitative and quantitative dysbiosis. Hospitalization in an ICU and mechanical ventilation are important factors leading to oral dysbiosis in SARS-CoV-2 patients.
Project description:BackgroundSevere coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can manifest in rapid decompensation and respiratory failure with elevated inflammatory markers, consistent with cytokine release syndrome for which IL-6 blockade is an approved treatment.MethodsWe assessed effectiveness and safety of IL-6 blockade with tocilizumab in a single-center cohort of patients with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation. The primary endpoint was survival probability postintubation; secondary analyses included an ordinal illness severity scale integrating superinfections. Outcomes in patients who received tocilizumab compared with tocilizumab-untreated controls were evaluated using multivariable Cox regression with propensity score inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW).Results154 patients were included, of whom 78 received tocilizumab and 76 did not. Median follow-up was 47 days (range, 28-67). Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, although tocilizumab-treated patients were younger (mean: 55 vs 60 years), less likely to have chronic pulmonary disease (10% vs 28%), and had lower D-dimer values at time of intubation (median: 2.4 vs 6.5 mg/dL). In IPTW-adjusted models, tocilizumab was associated with a 45% reduction in hazard of death (HR, .55; 95% CI, .33-.90) and improved status on the ordinal outcome scale [OR per 1-level increase, .58; .36-.94). Although tocilizumab was associated with an increased proportion of patients with superinfections (54% vs 26%; P < .001), there was no difference in 28-day case fatality rate among tocilizumab-treated patients with versus without superinfection (22% vs 15%; P = .42). Staphylococcus aureus accounted for ~50% of bacterial pneumonia.ConclusionsIn this cohort of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients, tocilizumab was associated with lower mortality despite higher superinfection occurrence.
Project description:Severe COVID-19 can manifest in rapid decompensation and respiratory failure with elevated inflammatory markers. This presentation is consistent with cytokine release syndrome in chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy, for which IL-6 blockade is approved treatment. We assessed effectiveness and safety of IL-6 blockade with tocilizumab in a single-center cohort of patients with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation. The primary endpoint was survival probability post-intubation; secondary analyses included an ordinal illness severity scale integrating superinfections. Outcomes in patients who received tocilizumab compared to tocilizumab-untreated controls were evaluated using multivariable Cox regression with propensity score inverse probability weighting (IPTW). 154 patients were included, of whom 78 received tocilizumab and 76 did not. Median follow-up was 47 days (range 28-67). Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, although tocilizumab-treated patients were younger (mean 55 vs. 60 years), less likely to have chronic pulmonary disease (10% vs. 28%), and had lower D-dimer values at time of intubation (median 2.4 vs. 6.5 mg/dL). In IPTW-adjusted models, tocilizumab was associated with a 45% reduction in hazard of death [hazard ratio 0.55 (95% CI 0.33, 0.90)] and improved status on the ordinal outcome scale [odds ratio per 1-level increase: 0.59 (0.36, 0.95)]. Though tocilizumab was associated with an increased proportion of patients with superinfections (54% vs. 26%; p<0.001), there was no difference in 28-day case fatality rate among tocilizumab-treated patients with versus without superinfection [22% vs. 15%; p=0.42]. In this cohort of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients, tocilizumab was associated with a decreased likelihood of death despite higher superinfection occurrence. Randomized controlled trials are urgently needed to confirm these findings.
Project description:ObjectiveTo determine the incidence, predictors, and outcome of pneumothorax (PNX)/pneumomediastinum (PMD) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).DesignObservational study.SettingTertiary-care university hospital.ParticipantsOne hundred sixteen consecutive critically ill, invasively ventilated patients with COVID-19 ARDS.InterventionsThe authors collected demographic, mechanical ventilation, imaging, laboratory, and outcome data. Primary outcome was the incidence of PNX/PMD. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of PNX/PMD.Measurements and main resultsPNX/PMD occurred in a total of 28 patients (24.1%), with 22 patients developing PNX (19.0%) and 13 developing PMD (11.2%). Mean time to development of PNX/PMD was 14 ± 11 days from intubation. The authors found no significant difference in mechanical ventilation parameters between patients who developed PNX/PMD and those who did not. Mechanical ventilation parameters were within recommended limits for protective ventilation in both groups. Ninety-five percent of patients with PNX/PMD had the Macklin effect (linear collections of air contiguous to the bronchovascular sheaths) on a baseline computed tomography scan, and tended to have a higher lung involvement at intensive care unit (ICU) admission (Radiographic Assessment of Lung Edema score 32.2 ± 13.4 v 18.7 ± 9.8 in patients without PNX/PMD, p = 0.08). Time from symptom onset to intubation and time from total bilirubin on day two after ICU admission were the only independent predictors of PNX/PMD. Mortality was 60.7% in patients who developed PNX/PMD versus 38.6% in those who did not (p = 0.04).ConclusionPNX/PMD occurs frequently in COVID-19 patients with ARDS requiring mechanical ventilation, and is associated with increased mortality. Development of PNX/PMD seems to occur despite use of protective mechanical ventilation and has a radiologic predictor sign.
Project description:Rationale: Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) are frequently exposed to unnecessary antibiotics. Markers of the host response to infection may aid pneumonia diagnosis and avoid antibiotic-induced complications. Objective: To assess the host response to suspected bacterial pneumonia through assessment of alveolar neutrophilia and transcriptomic profiling of alveolar macrophages. Methods: We determined the test characteristics of BAL neutrophilia for the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia in 3 cohorts of mechanically ventilated patients. In one cohort, we also isolated alveolar macrophages from BAL fluid and used the transcriptome to identify signatures of bacterial pneumonia. Finally, we developed a humanized mouse model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia to determine if pathogen-specific signatures can be identified in human alveolar macrophages. Measurements and Main Results: BAL neutrophilia was highly sensitive for bacterial pneumonia in both the retrospective (N = 851) and validation cohorts (N = 76 and N = 79) with a negative predictive value of over 90% when BAL neutrophil percentage was less than 50%. A transcriptional signature of bacterial pneumonia was present in both resident and recruited macrophages. Gene signatures from both cell types identified patients with bacterial pneumonia with test characteristics similar to BAL neutrophilia. Conclusions: A BAL neutrophil percentage of less than 50% is highly sensitive for bacterial pneumonia. Informative transcriptomic signatures can be generated from BAL fluid obtained during routine clinical care in the ICU. The identification of novel host response biomarkers is a promising approach to aid the diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia.
Project description:The prone position (PP) is increasingly used in mechanically ventilated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients. However, studies investigating the influence of the PP are currently lacking in these patients. This is the first study to investigate the influence of the PP on the oxygenation and decarboxylation in COVID-19 patients. A prospective bicentric study design was used, and in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients, PP was indicated from a partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) ratio of <200. Patients were left prone for 16 h each. Pressure levels, FIO2, were adjusted to ensure a PaO2 greater than 60 mmHg. Blood gas analyses were performed before (baseline 0.5 h), during (1/2/5.5/9.5/13 h), and after being in the PP (1 h), the circulatory/ventilation parameters were continuously monitored, and lung compliance (LC) was roughly calculated. Responders were defined compared to the baseline value (PaO2/FIO2 ratio increase of ≥15%; partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) decrease of ≥2%). 13 patients were included and 36 PP sessions were conducted. Overall, PaO2/FIO2 increased significantly in the PP (p < 0.001). Most PaO2/FIO2 responders (29/36 PP sessions, 77%) were identified 9.5 h after turning prone (14% slow responders), while most PaCO2 responders (15/36 PP sessions, 42%) were identified 13 h after turning prone. A subgroup of patients (interval intubation to PP ≥3 days) showed less PaO2/FIO2 responders (16% vs. 77%). An increase in PaCO2 and minute ventilation in the PP showed a significant negative correlation (p < 0.001). LC (median before the PP = 38 mL/cm H2O; two patients with LC >80 mL/cm H2O) showed a significant positive correlation with the 28 day survival of patients (p = 0.01). The PP significantly improves oxygenation in COVID-19 ARDS patients. The data suggest that they also benefit most from an early PP. A decrease in minute ventilation may result in fewer PaCO2 responders. LC may be a predictive outcome parameter in COVID-19 patients. Retrospectively registered.