Effect of Hydrocortisone on Mortality and Organ Support in Patients With Severe COVID-19: The REMAP-CAP COVID-19 Corticosteroid Domain Randomized Clinical Trial

Development and validation of COVID-19 associated candidemia score (CAC-Score) in ICU patients

BACKGROUND

The development of candidemia is a highly fatal condition in severe COVID-19 infection.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to develop a candidemia prediction score in COVID-19 patient based on the patient's clinical characteristics, and healthcare-related factors during intensive care units (ICU) follow-up.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Severe COVID-19 patients hospitalised in ICU in Ankara City Hospital during the one-year period (August 15, 2020, and August 15, 2021) were included. After univariate analysis, multivariate analysis was applied using variable selection approach to investigate the effects of variables together and to create a score model for candidemia. Statistically significant factors were included in the development process of candida prediction score.

RESULTS

Of 1305 COVID-19 ICU patients, 139 had a candidemia episode. According to the final model, four variables, presence of central venous catheter (CVC) (OR 19.07, CI 8.12-44.8, p < .0001), multifocal colonisation (OR 2.28, CI 1.39-3.72, p 0.001), length of ICU stays ≥14 days (OR 3.62, CI 2.42-5.44, p < .0001) and corticosteroids (OR 0.51, CI 0.34-0.76, p 0.0011) were the only statistically significant independent risk factors for candidemia. Score model was demonstrated by a nomogram, and the risk for candidemia was calculated to be high in patients who scored ≥56 points by using the criteria [CVC = 51, multifocal colonisation = 14, prolonged hospitalisation = 23, no steroid use = 12 points]. The AUC of the score is 0.84 (CI 0.81-0.87).

CONCLUSION

We developed and validated an easy-to-use clinical prediction score for candidemia in severe COVID-19 infection. In COVID-19 ICU patients, the risk of candidemia is high if one of the other risk factors is present together with CVC.

Neuromuscular Blockade in the Pre- and COVID-19 ARDS Patients

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) accounts for a quarter of mechanically ventilated patients, while during the pandemic, it overwhelmed the capacity of intensive care units (ICUs). Lung protective ventilation (low tidal volume, positive-end expiratory pressure titrated to lung mechanics and oxygenation, permissive hypercapnia) is a non-pharmacological approach that is the gold standard of management. Among the pharmacological treatments, the use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs), although extensively studied, has not yet been well clarified. The rationale is to minimize the risk for lung damage progression, in the already-injured pulmonary parenchyma. By abolishing rigorous spontaneous efforts, NMBAs may decrease the generation of high transpulmonary pressures that could aggravate patients’ self-inflicted lung injury. Moreover, NMBAs can harmonize the patient–ventilator interaction. Recent randomized controlled trials reported contradictory results and changed the clinical practice in a bidirectional way. NMBAs have not been documented to improve long-term survival; thus, the current guidance suggests their use only in patients in whom a lung protective ventilation protocol cannot be applied, due to asynchrony or increased respiratory efforts. In the present review, we discuss the published data and additionally the clinical practice in the “war” conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerning NMBA use in the management of patients with ARDS.

Heart failure during the COVID-19 pandemic: clinical, diagnostic, management, and organizational dilemmas

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection pandemic has affected the care of patients with heart failure (HF). Several consensus documents describe the appropriate diagnostic algorithm and treatment approach for patients with HF and associated COVID-19 infection. However, few questions about the mechanisms by which COVID can exacerbate HF in patients with high-risk (Stage B) or symptomatic HF (Stage C) remain unanswered. Therefore, the type of HF occurring during infection is poorly investigated. The diagnostic differentiation and management should be focused on the identification of the HF phenotype, underlying causes, and subsequent tailored therapy. In this framework, the relationship existing between COVID and onset of acute decompensated HF, isolated right HF, and cardiogenic shock is questioned, and the specific management is mainly based on local hospital organization rather than a standardized model. Similarly, some specific populations such as advanced HF, heart transplant, patients with left ventricular assist device (LVAD), or valve disease remain under investigated. In this systematic review, we examine recent advances regarding the relationships between HF and COVID-19 pandemic with respect to epidemiology, pathogenetic mechanisms, and differential diagnosis. Also, according to the recent HF guidelines definition, we highlight different clinical profile identification, pointing out the main concerns in understudied HF populations.

Plasma SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen levels are associated with progression to severe disease in hospitalized COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Studies quantifying SARS-CoV-2 have focused on upper respiratory tract or plasma viral RNA with inconsistent association with clinical outcomes. The association between plasma viral antigen levels and clinical outcomes has not been previously studied. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between plasma SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen (N-antigen) concentration and both markers of host response and clinical outcomes.

METHODS

SARS-CoV-2 N-antigen concentrations were measured in the first study plasma sample (D0), collected within 72 h of hospital admission, from 256 subjects admitted between March 2020 and August 2021 in a prospective observational cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The rank correlations between plasma N-antigen and plasma biomarkers of tissue damage, coagulation, and inflammation were assessed. Multiple ordinal regression was used to test the association between enrollment N-antigen plasma concentration and the primary outcome of clinical deterioration at one week as measured by a modified World Health Organization (WHO) ordinal scale. Multiple logistic regression was used to test the association between enrollment plasma N-antigen concentration and the secondary outcomes of ICU admission, mechanical ventilation at 28 days, and death at 28 days. The prognostic discrimination of an externally derived "high antigen" cutoff of N-antigen ≥ 1000 pg/mL was also tested.

RESULTS

N-antigen on D0 was detectable in 84% of study participants. Plasma N-antigen levels significantly correlated with RAGE (r = 0.61), IL-10 (r = 0.59), and IP-10 (r = 0.59, adjusted p = 0.01 for all correlations). For the primary outcome of clinical status at one week, each 500 pg/mL increase in plasma N-antigen level was associated with an adjusted OR of 1.05 (95% CI 1.03-1.08) for worse WHO ordinal status. D0 plasma N-antigen ≥ 1000 pg/mL was 77% sensitive and 59% specific (AUROC 0.68) with a positive predictive value of 23% and a negative predictive value of 93% for a worse WHO ordinal scale at day 7 compared to baseline. D0 N-antigen concentration was independently associated with ICU admission and 28-day mechanical ventilation, but not with death at 28 days.

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma N-antigen levels are readily measured and provide important insight into the pathogenesis and prognosis of COVID-19. The measurement of N-antigen levels early in-hospital course may improve risk stratification, especially for identifying patients who are unlikely to progress to severe disease.

The Musculoskeletal Manifestations of COVID-19: A Narrative Review Article

The coronavirus pandemic has caused a devastating impact across the planet. Millions of lives lost and economic structures are struggling to remain afloat. Clinical effects of SARS CoV-2 virus include tiredness, fatigue, headache, cough, loss of appetite, fever, loss of sensations of taste, and smell as well as other respiratory difficulties. Pulmonary complications of coronavirus infections result in severe pneumonia with the final sequelae being sepsis, and end-stage respiratory failure. Further cardiovascular, neurological, hematological, and gastrointestinal complications build up to cause the demise of the immune system ultimately leading to death of the affected individual. The attack of the virus and the resultant reaction of the epithelial cells lining the respiratory tract have been in the limelight of most studies pertaining to the pandemic. However, a lesser number of studies have detailed the muscular and osseous pathologies that appear post-coronavirus infection. Inflammation post-infection, across the organ systems, may appear as a link to bone and joint pathology. Myalgia is a typical COVID-19 infection symptom. On the contrary, other musculoskeletal signs have very seldom been reported. Multimodality imaging techniques stand a chance at showing the diagnosis and the degree of follow-up after evaluation. Apart from myalgia, there are cases of arthralgia, myopathies, and neuropathies. According to numerous reports, there is the possibility of a link between the current drug regimen used to treat the SARS-CoV-2 infection and the musculoskeletal manifestations observed. In this study, we aim to shed light on the coronavirus pandemic and its association to various musculoskeletal manifestations, provide a different perspective of the infected patients, and address the major points that a clinician must take care while administering care to the patient. We will also address the present treatment in line with the various musculoskeletal symptoms observed.

Saving millions of lives but some resources squandered: emerging lessons from health research system pandemic achievements and challenges

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, astonishingly rapid research averted millions of deaths worldwide through new vaccines and repurposed and new drugs. Evidence use informed life-saving national policies including non-pharmaceutical interventions. Simultaneously, there was unprecedented waste, with many underpowered trials on the same drugs. We identified lessons from COVID-19 research responses by applying WHO's framework for research systems. It has four functions-governance, securing finance, capacity-building, and production and use of research-and nine components. Two linked questions focused the analysis. First, to what extent have achievements in knowledge production and evidence use built on existing structures and capacity in national health research systems? Second, did the features of such systems mitigate waste? We collated evidence on seven countries, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, to identify examples of achievements and challenges.We used the data to develop lessons for each framework component. Research coordination, prioritization and expedited ethics approval contributed to rapid identification of new therapies, including dexamethasone in the United Kingdom and Brazil. Accelerated vaccines depended on extensive funding, especially through the Operation Warp Speed initiative in the United States, and new platforms created through long-term biomedical research capacity in the United Kingdom and, for messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines, in Canada, Germany and the United States. Research capacity embedded in the United Kingdom's healthcare system resulted in trial acceleration and waste avoidance. Faster publication of research saved lives, but raised challenges. Public/private collaborations made major contributions to vastly accelerating new products, available worldwide, though unequally. Effective developments of living (i.e. regularly updated) reviews and guidelines, especially in Australia and Canada, extended existing expertise in meeting users' needs. Despite complexities, effective national policy responses (less evident in Brazil, the United Kingdom and the United States) also saved lives by drawing on health research system features, including collaboration among politicians, civil servants and researchers; good communications; and willingness to use evidence. Comprehensive health research strategies contributed to success in research production in the United Kingdom and in evidence use by political leadership in New Zealand. In addition to waste, challenges included equity issues, public involvement and non-COVID research. We developed recommendations, but advocate studies of further countries.

Microbiological and Clinical Findings of SARS-CoV-2 Infection after 2 Years of Pandemic: From Lung to Gut Microbiota

Early recognition and prompt management are crucial for improving survival in COVID-19 patients, and after 2 years of the pandemic, many efforts have been made to obtain an early diagnosis. A key factor is the use of fast microbiological techniques, considering also that COVID-19 patients may show no peculiar signs and symptoms that may differentiate COVID-19 from other infective or non-infective diseases. These techniques were developed to promptly identify SARS-CoV-2 infection and to prevent viral spread and transmission. However, recent data about clinical, radiological and laboratory features of COVID-19 at time of hospitalization could help physicians in early suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 infection and distinguishing it from other etiologies. The knowledge of clinical features and microbiological techniques will be crucial in the next years when the endemic circulation of SARS-CoV-2 will be probably associated with clusters of infection. In this review we provide a state of the art about new advances in microbiological and clinical findings of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients with a focus on pulmonary and extrapulmonary characteristics, including the role of gut microbiota.

Evaluation of the potential of Rejuveinix plus dexamethasone against sepsis

Aim: Our main objectives were to compare the effects of Rejuveinix (RJX), dexamethasone (DEX) and their combination on the severity of sepsis and survival outcome in an animal model of fatal sepsis. Methods: We used the LPS plus D-galactosamine mouse model of sepsis to compare the anti-inflammatory activities of RJX, dexamethasone and a combination of RJX plus DEX. Additionally, we examined the clinical feasibility and tolerability of combining RJX with DEX in COVID-19 patients in a clinical phase I study. Data were analyzed using standard methods. Results & conclusion: RJX exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity in the murine sepsis model. The combination of RJX plus DEX was more effective than either agent alone, decreased the inflammatory cytokine responses and associated organ damage, and improved the survival outcome in mice. In the phase I clinical study, RJX plus DEX was well tolerated by COVID-19 patients.

Failed clinical trials on COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome in hospitalized patients: common oversights and streamlining the development of clinically effective therapeutics

INTRODUCTION

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has put a strain on global healthcare systems. Despite admirable efforts to develop rapidly new pharmacotherapies, supportive treatments remain the standard of care. Multiple clinical trials have failed due to design issues, biased patient enrollment, small sample sizes, inadequate control groups, and lack of long-term outcomes monitoring.

AREAS COVERED

This narrative review depicts the current situation around failed and success COVID-19 clinical trials and recommendations in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, oversights and streamlining of clinically effective therapeutics. PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane Library, and WHO and NIH guidelines were searched for relevant literature up to 5 August 2022.

EXPERT OPINION

The WHO, NIH, and IDSA have issued recommendations to better clarify which drugs should be used during the different phases of the disease. Given the biases and high heterogeneity of published studies, interpretation of the current literature is difficult. Future clinical trials should be designed to standardize clinical approaches, with appropriate organization, patient selection, addition of control groups, and careful identification of disease phase to reduce heterogeneity and bias and should rely on the integration of scientific societies to promote a consensus on interpretation of the data and recommendations for optimal COVID-19 therapies.

A practical update on the management of patients with COVID-19

While vaccines against COVID-19 are being rolled out, an ongoing need remains for therapies to treat patients who have symptomatic COVID-19 before vaccination or in whom breakthrough infection develops. Dexamethasone and interleukin-6 inhibitors have been the mainstay of treatment for severe to critical COVID-19 requiring hospitalisation. However, in the previous few months, several therapies have been approved in the UK for hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19. In particular, the development of neutralising monoclonal antibodies and novel antivirals represents a welcome expansion in the armamentarium against COVID-19, not only therapeutically to reduce mortality but also because they can be used in mild or moderate disease to prevent hospitalisation. This update is based on guidance from NHS England as well as the World Health Organization, and provides practical support and guidance to all clinicians involved or interested in the management of COVID-19 patients, whether based in community, outpatient or inpatient settings.

Caring for the Critically Ill Patient with COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented numbers of critically ill patients. Critical care providers have been challenged to increase the capacity for critical care, prevent the spread of syndrome coronavirus 2 in hospitals, determine the optimal treatment approaches for patients with critical COVID-19, and to design and implement systems for fair allocation of scarce life-saving resources when capacity is exhausted. The global burden of COVID-19 highlighted disparities, across geographic regions and among minority patient populations. Faced with a novel pathogen, critical care providers grappled with the extent to which conventional supportive critical care practices should be followed versus adapted to treat patients with COVID-19. Fiercely debated practices included the use of awake prone positioning, the timing of intubation, and optimal approach to sedation. Advances in clinical trial design were necessary to rapidly identify appropriate therapeutics for the critically ill patient with COVID-19. In this article, we review the epidemiology, outcomes, and treatments for the critically ill patient with COVID-19.

The The use of corticosteroid therapy for COVID-19 patients: an evidence-based overview

Since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a pandemic, huge efforts to promote better treatment for the patients raised from the scientific community. One of the most effective treatment is the administration of corticosteroid in specific stages of the disease, once that severe COVID-19 pathophysiology evolves an exuberant inflammatory response, resulting in uncontrolled pulmonary inflammation and multisystem damage. However, it is still discussed whether some drugs, such as dexamethasone, are more effective than others, such as hydrocortisone and methylprednisolone. Therefore, we constructed here a comprehensive overview, based on clinical studies with detailed methodological procedures, regarding the role of corticosteroids in COVID-19 treatment. We aimed to address how the current evidence support their use in this scenario.

Cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 severe acute respiratory syndrome

603,711,760 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported throughout the world and 6,484,136 individuals have died from complications of COVID-19 as of September 7, 2022. Significantly, the Omicron variant has produced the largest number of COVID-19 associated hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic. Cardiac injury occurs in ≥20% of the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and is associated with cardiac dysrhythmias in 17 to 44%, cardiac injury with increases in blood troponin in 22 to 40%, myocarditis in 2 to 7%, heart failure in 4 to 21%, and thromboembolic events in 15 to 39%. Risk factors for cardiac complications include age >70 years, male sex, BMI ≥30 kg/m2, diabetes, pre-existing cardiovascular disease, and moderate to severe pneumonia at hospital presentation. Patients with prior cardiovascular disease who contract COVID-19 and experience a significant increase in their blood troponin concentration are at risk for mortality rates as high as 69%. This review focuses on the prevalence, the pathophysiologic mechanisms of CoV-2 injury to the cardiovascular system and the current recommended treatments in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in order that medical personnel can decrease the morbidity and mortality of patients with COVID-19 and effectively treat patients with Covid and post Covid syndrome.

Effect of corticosteroid therapy on mortality in COVID-19 patients-A systematic review and meta-analysis

The effect of corticosteroid therapy is still controversial on prevention of mortality in coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19). The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of corticosteroids on mortality. This systematic review was performed as per preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses guidelines. A systematic search was performed at different databases namely Medline/PubMed, Cochrane and Google scholar on 10 February 2022. A pooled estimate for effect of corticosteroid therapy on mortality was calculated as outcome of study. Risk bias analysis and Newcastle Ottawa Scale were used to assess the quality of randomized control trial (RCT) and cohort studies, respectively. Cochran's Q test and the I² statistic were conducted for heterogeneity and accordingly study model was applied. A total 43 studies were included, having sample size of 96,852 patients. Amongst them, 19,426 and 77,426 patients received corticosteroid therapy (intervention group) or standard treatment without corticosteroid (control group), respectively. Mortality observed in the intervention and control group was 14.2% (2749) and 7.1% (5459), respectively. The pooled estimate 2.173 (95% CI: 2.0690–2.2820) showed significantly increased mortality in intervention as compared to control. The pooled estimate of methyprednisolone 1.206 (95% CI: 1.0770–1.3500) showed significantly increased mortality while the pooled estimate of dexamethasone 1.040 (95% CI: 0.9459–1.1440) showed insignificantly increased mortality as compared to control. In conclusion, corticosteroid therapy produced a negative prognosis as depicted by increased mortality among COVID‐19 patients. The possible reasons might be delay in virus clearance and secondary infections due to corticosteroids initiated at high dose in the early stage of infection.

Inhaled Fluticasone for Outpatient Treatment of Covid-19: A Decentralized, Placebo-controlled, Randomized, Platform Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids to shorten time to symptom resolution or prevent hospitalization or death among outpatients with mild-to-moderate coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) is unclear.

METHODS

ACTIV-6 is an ongoing, decentralized, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled platform trial testing repurposed medications in outpatients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Non-hospitalized adults aged ≥30 years, experiencing ≥2 symptoms of acute infection for ≤7 days were randomized to inhaled fluticasone furoate 200 μg once daily for 14 days or placebo. The primary outcome was time to sustained recovery, defined as the third of 3 consecutive days without symptoms. Secondary outcomes included composites of hospitalization or death with or without urgent care or emergency department visit by day 28.

RESULTS

Of those eligible for the fluticasone arm, 656 were randomized to and received inhaled fluticasone; 621 received concurrent placebo. There was no evidence of improvement in time to recovery with fluticasone compared with placebo (hazard ratio [HR] 1.01, 95% credible interval [CrI] 0.91-1.12; posterior probability for benefit [HR>1]=0.56). Twenty-four participants (3.7%) in the fluticasone arm had urgent care or emergency department visits or were hospitalized compared with 13 (2.1%) in the pooled, concurrent placebo arm (HR 1.9, 95% CrI 0.8-3.5; posterior probability for benefit [HR<1]=0.03). Three participants in each arm were hospitalized, and no deaths occurred. Adverse events were uncommon in both arms.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with inhaled fluticasone furoate for 14 days did not result in improved time to recovery among outpatients with Covid-19 in the United States during the delta and omicron variant surges.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT04885530 ).

Co-infection and ICU-acquired infection in COIVD-19 ICU patients: a secondary analysis of the UNITE-COVID data set

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic presented major challenges for critical care facilities worldwide. Infections which develop alongside or subsequent to viral pneumonitis are a challenge under sporadic and pandemic conditions; however, data have suggested that patterns of these differ between COVID-19 and other viral pneumonitides. This secondary analysis aimed to explore patterns of co-infection and intensive care unit-acquired infections (ICU-AI) and the relationship to use of corticosteroids in a large, international cohort of critically ill COVID-19 patients.

METHODS

This is a multicenter, international, observational study, including adult patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis admitted to ICUs at the peak of wave one of COVID-19 (February 15th to May 15th, 2020). Data collected included investigator-assessed co-infection at ICU admission, infection acquired in ICU, infection with multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO) and antibiotic use. Frequencies were compared by Pearson's Chi-squared and continuous variables by Mann-Whitney U test. Propensity score matching for variables associated with ICU-acquired infection was undertaken using R library MatchIT using the "full" matching method.

RESULTS

Data were available from 4994 patients. Bacterial co-infection at admission was detected in 716 patients (14%), whilst 85% of patients received antibiotics at that stage. ICU-AI developed in 2715 (54%). The most common ICU-AI was bacterial pneumonia (44% of infections), whilst 9% of patients developed fungal pneumonia; 25% of infections involved MDRO. Patients developing infections in ICU had greater antimicrobial exposure than those without such infections. Incident density (ICU-AI per 1000 ICU days) was in considerable excess of reports from pre-pandemic surveillance. Corticosteroid use was heterogenous between ICUs. In univariate analysis, 58% of patients receiving corticosteroids and 43% of those not receiving steroids developed ICU-AI. Adjusting for potential confounders in the propensity-matched cohort, 71% of patients receiving corticosteroids developed ICU-AI vs 52% of those not receiving corticosteroids. Duration of corticosteroid therapy was also associated with development of ICU-AI and infection with an MDRO.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with severe COVID-19 in the first wave, co-infection at admission to ICU was relatively rare but antibiotic use was in substantial excess to that indication. ICU-AI were common and were significantly associated with use of corticosteroids. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04836065 (retrospectively registered April 8th 2021).

Therapeutics for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 in children and adolescents

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a mild to moderate respiratory illness in most children and adolescents, but a small proportion develop severe or critical illness. Although pediatric clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19 are sparse, there are some available drugs for children and adolescents with severe COVID-19. This review summarizes clinical data focusing on antiviral agents and immunomodulators for COVID-19 treatment. Additionally, the current recommendations for therapeutics for children and adolescents with COVID-19 are discussed. Remdesivir is suggested for pediatric patients with COVID-19 in the following cases: children and adolescents with severe COVID-19 who need supplemental oxygen without mechanical ventilation; adolescents aged ≥12 years and weight of at least 40 kg with COVID-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen and are within 7 days of symptom onset and are at high risk of progression to severe illness. Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is considered for adolescents aged ≥12 years and weighing at least 40 kg who do not require supplemental oxygen and are within 5 days of symptom onset and are at high risk of progression to severe disease. Corticosteroids are not recommended in children and adolescents with mild to moderate COVID-19. Corticosteroids are recommended in children and adolescents with severe to critical COVID-19.

Intensive care physicians' perceptions of the diagnosis & management of patients with acute hypoxic respiratory failure associated with COVID-19: A UK based survey

BACKGROUND

Whilst the management of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has evolved in response to the emerging data, treating such patients remains a challenge, and many treatments lack robust clinical evidence. We conducted a survey to evaluate Intensive Care Unit (ICU) management of COVID-19 patients with acute hypoxic respiratory failure and compared the results with data from a similar survey focusing on Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) that was conducted in 2013.

METHODS

The questionnaire was refined from a previous survey of ARDS-related clinical practice using an online electronic survey engine (Survey Monkey®) and all UK intensivists were encouraged to participate. The survey was conducted between 16/05/2020 and 17/06/2020.

RESULTS

There were 137 responses from 89 UK centres. Non-invasive ventilation was commonly used in the form of CPAP. The primary ventilation strategy was the ARDSnet protocol, with 63% deviating from its PEEP recommendations. Similar to our previous ARDS survey, most allowed permissive targets for hypoxia (94%), hypercapnia (55%) and pH (94%). The routine use of antibiotics was common, and corticosteroids were frequently used, usually in the context of a clinical trial (45%). Late tracheostomy (>7 days) was preferred (92%). Routine follow-up was offered by 66% with few centres providing routine dedicated rehabilitation programmes following discharge. Compared to the ARDS survey, there is an increased use of neuromuscular agents, APRV ventilation and improved provision of rehabilitation services.

CONCLUSIONS

Similar to our previous ARDS survey, this survey highlights variations in the management strategies used for patients with acute hypoxic respiratory failure due to COVID-19.

A narrative review of COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS): "typical" or "atypical" ARDS?

Background and Objective

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is highly infectious and mainly involves the respiratory system, with some patients rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which is the leading cause of death in COVID-19 patients. Hence, fully understanding the features of COVID-19-related ARDS (CARDS) and early management of this disease would improve the prognosis and reduce the mortality of severe COVID-19. With the development of recent studies which have focused on CARDS, whether CARDS is "typical" or "atypical" ARDS has become a hotly debated topic.

Methods

We searched for relevant literature from 1999 to 2021 published in PubMed by using the following keywords and their combinations: "COVID-19", "CARDS", "ARDS", "pathophysiological mechanism", "clinical manifestations", "prognosis", and "clinical trials". Then, we analyzed, compared and highlighted the differences between classic ARDS and CARDS from all of the aspects above.

Key Content and Findings

Classical ARDS commonly occurs within 1 week after a predisposing cause, yet the median time from symptoms onset to CARDS is longer than that of classical ARDS, manifesting within a period of 9.0-12.0 days. Although the lung mechanics exhibited in CARDS grossly match those of classical ARDS, there are some atypical manifestations of CARDS: the severity of hypoxemia seemed not to be proportional to injury of lung mechanics and an increase of thrombogenic processes. Meanwhile, some patients' symptoms do not correspond with the extent of the organic injury: a chest computed tomography (CT) will reveal the severe and diffuse lung injuries, yet the clinical presentations of patients can be mild.

Conclusions

Despite the differences between the CARDS and ARDS, in addition to the treatment of antivirals, clinicians should continue to follow the accepted evidence-based framework for managing all ARDS cases, including CARDS.

Heart failure in general and cardiac transplant patients with COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is primarily an infection of the respiratory tract, but it can have multisystem manifestations. Cardiac complications of COVID-19 can range from acute myocardial injury, cardiac arrhythmias, or heart failure, amongst others. Heart failure (HF) in COVID-19 can be a de novo process or due to worsening of pre-existing cardiovascular ailment. HF in a patient with COVID-19 not only poses challenges in clinical presentation and management of COVID-19 but also affect prognosis of the patient. This article aims to succinctly revisit the implications of this pandemic regarding pre-existing HF or new-onset HF based on prevailing data. It also focuses on the management and special recommendations from prior studies and guidelines.

Multi-arm covariate-adaptive randomization

Simultaneously investigating multiple treatments in a single study achieves considerable efficiency in contrast to the traditional two-arm trials. Balancing treatment allocation for influential covariates has become increasingly important in today's clinical trials. The multi-arm covariate-adaptive randomized clinical trial is one of the most powerful tools to incorporate covariate information and multiple treatments in a single study. Pocock and Simon's procedure has been extended to the multi-arm case. However, the theoretical properties of multi-arm covariate-adaptive randomization have remained largely elusive for decades. In this paper, we propose a general framework for multi-arm covariate-adaptive designs which also includes the two-arm case, and establish the corresponding theory under widely satisfied conditions. The theoretical results provide new insights into the balance properties of covariate-adaptive randomization procedures and make foundations for most existing statistical inferences under two-arm covariate-adaptive randomization. Furthermore, these open a door to study the theoretical properties of statistical inferences for clinical trials based on multi-arm covariate-adaptive randomization procedures.

Low-to-Moderate Dosage and Short-Term Use of Corticosteroids Benefit Patients With Severe COVID-19 Infections

Although the FDA has given emergency use authorization (EUA) for some antiviral drugs for the treatment of COVID-19, no direct antiviral drugs have been identified for the treatment of critically ill patients, the most important treatment is suppression of the hyperinflammation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of corticosteroids in hospitalized severe or critical patients positive for COVID-19. This is a retrospective single-center descriptive study. Patients classified as having severe or critical COVID-19 infections with acute respiratory dysfunction syndrome in Shenzhen Third People's Hospital were enrolled from January 11th to March 30th, 2020. Ninety patients were classified as having severe or critical COVID-19 infections. The patients were treated with methylprednisolone with a low-to-moderate dosage and short duration. The days from the symptom onset to methylprednisolone were about 8 days. Eighteen patients were treated with invasive ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) care. All the patients in the severe group and ten in the critical group recovered and were discharged. Three critical cases with invasive ventilation died. Although cases were much more severe in the corticosteroid-treated group, the mortality was not significantly increased. Early use of low-to-moderate dosage and short duration of corticosteroid may be the more accurate immune-modulatory treatment and brings more benefits to severe patients with COVID-19.

Mass cytometry reveals a conserved immune trajectory of recovery in hospitalized COVID-19 patients

While studies have elucidated many pathophysiological elements of COVID-19, little is known about immunological changes during COVID-19 resolution. We analyzed immune cells and phosphorylated signaling states at single-cell resolution from longitudinal blood samples of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, pneumonia and/or sepsis, and healthy individuals by mass cytometry. COVID-19 patients showed distinct immune compositions and an early, coordinated, and elevated immune cell signaling profile associated with early hospital discharge. Intra-patient longitudinal analysis revealed changes in myeloid and T cell frequencies and a reduction in immune cell signaling across cell types that accompanied disease resolution and discharge. These changes, together with increases in regulatory T cells and reduced signaling in basophils, also accompanied recovery from respiratory failure and were associated with better outcomes at time of admission. Therefore, although patients have heterogeneous immunological baselines and highly variable disease courses, a core immunological trajectory exists that defines recovery from severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Performance evaluation of a multinational data platform for critical care in Asia

Background: The value of medical registries strongly depends on the quality of the data collected. This must be objectively measured before large clinical databases can be promoted for observational research, quality improvement, and clinical trials. We aimed to evaluate the quality of a multinational intensive care unit (ICU) network of registries of critically ill patients established in seven Asian low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: The Critical Care Asia federated registry platform enables ICUs to collect clinical, outcome and process data for aggregate and unit-level analysis. The evaluation used the standardised criteria of the Directory of Clinical Databases (DoCDat) and a framework for data quality assurance in medical registries. Six reviewers assessed structure, coverage, reliability and validity of the ICU registry data. Case mix and process measures on patient episodes from June to December 2020 were analysed. Results: Data on 20,507 consecutive patient episodes from 97 ICUs in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan and Vietnam were included. The quality level achieved according to the ten prespecified DoCDat criteria was high (average score 3.4 out of 4) as was the structural and organizational performance -- comparable to ICU registries in high-income countries. Identified strengths were types of variables included, reliability of coding, data completeness and validation. Potential improvements included extension of national coverage, optimization of recruitment completeness validation in all centers and the use of interobserver reliability checks. Conclusions: The Critical Care Asia platform evaluates well using standardised frameworks for data quality and equally to registries in resource-rich settings.

Performance evaluation of a multinational data platform for critical care in Asia

Background: The value of medical registries strongly depends on the quality of the data collected. This must be objectively measured before large clinical databases can be promoted for observational research, quality improvement, and clinical trials. We aimed to evaluate the quality of a multinational intensive care unit (ICU) network of registries of critically ill patients established in seven Asian low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: The Critical Care Asia federated registry platform enables ICUs to collect clinical, outcome and process data for aggregate and unit-level analysis. The evaluation used the standardised criteria of the Directory of Clinical Databases (DoCDat) and a framework for data quality assurance in medical registries. Six reviewers assessed structure, coverage, reliability and validity of the ICU registry data. Case mix and process measures on patient episodes from June to December 2020 were analysed. Results: Data on 20,507 consecutive patient episodes from 97 ICUs in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan and Vietnam were included. The quality level achieved according to the ten prespecified DoCDat criteria was high (average score 3.4 out of 4) as was the structural and organizational performance -- comparable to ICU registries in high-income countries. Identified strengths were types of variables included, reliability of coding, data completeness and validation. Potential improvements included extension of national coverage, optimization of recruitment completeness validation in all centers and the use of interobserver reliability checks. Conclusions: The Critical Care Asia platform evaluates well using standardised frameworks for data quality and equally to registries in resource-rich settings.

Immunomodulatory therapy for the management of critically ill patients with COVID-19: A narrative review

BACKGROUND

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Understanding the physiological and immunological processes underlying the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 is vital for the identification and rational design of effective therapies.

AIM

To describe the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with the immune system and the subsequent contribution of hyperinflammation and abnormal immune responses to disease progression together with a complete narrative review of the different immunoadjuvant treatments used so far in COVID-19 and their indication in severe and life-threatening subsets.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was developed. Authors reviewed the selected manuscripts following the PRISMA recommendations for systematic review and meta-analysis documents and selected the most appropriate. Finally, a recommendation of the use of each treatment was established based on the level of evidence of the articles and documents reviewed. This recommendation was made based on the consensus of all the authors.

RESULTS

A brief rationale on the SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, immune response, and inflammation was developed. The usefulness of 10 different families of treatments related to inflammation and immunopathogenesis of COVID-19 was reviewed and discussed. Finally, based on the level of scientific evidence, a recommendation was established for each of them.

CONCLUSION

Although several promising therapies exist, only the use of corticosteroids and tocilizumab (or sarilumab in absence of this) have demonstrated evidence enough to recommend its use in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Endotypes including both, clinical and biological characteristics can constitute specific targets for better select certain therapies based on an individualized approach to treatment.

A comprehensive review of adverse events to drugs used in COVID-19 patients: Recent clinical evidence

BACKGROUND

Since the breakthrough of the pandemic, several drugs have been used to treat COVID-19 patients. This review aims to gather information on adverse events (AE) related to most drugs used in this context.

METHODS

We performed a literature search to find articles that contained information about AE in COVID-19 patients. We analysed and reviewed the most relevant studies in the Medline (via PubMed), Scopus and Web of Science. The most frequent AE identified were grouped in our qualitative analysis by System Organ Class (SOC), the highest level of the MedDRA medical terminology for each of the drugs studied.

RESULTS

The most frequent SOCs among the included drugs are investigations (n = 7 drugs); skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders (n = 5 drugs); and nervous system disorders, infections and infestations, gastrointestinal disorders, hepatobiliary disorders, and metabolism and nutrition disorders (n = 4 drugs). Other SOCs also emerged, such as general disorders and administration site conditions, renal and urinary disorders, vascular disorders and cardiac disorders (n = 3 drugs). Less frequent SOC were eye disorders, respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders, musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders, and immune system disorders (n = 2 drugs). Psychiatric disorders, and injury, poisoning and procedural complications were also reported (n = 1 drug).

CONCLUSIONS

Some SOCs seem to be more frequent than others among the COVID-19 drugs included, although neither of the studies included reported causality analysis. For that purpose, further clinical studies with robust methodologies, as randomised controlled trials, should be designed and performed.

A learning health system approach to the COVID-19 pandemic: System-wide changes in clinical practice and 30-day mortality among hospitalized patients

Introduction

Rapid, continuous implementation of credible scientific findings and regulatory approvals is often slow in large, diverse health systems. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created a new threat to this common "slow to learn and adapt" model in healthcare. We describe how the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) committed to a rapid learning health system (LHS) model to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A treatment cohort study was conducted among 11 429 hospitalized patients (pediatric/adult) from 22 hospitals (PA, NY) with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 infection (March 19, 2020 - June 6, 2021). Sociodemographic and clinical data were captured from UPMC electronic medical record (EMR) systems. Patients were grouped into four time-defined patient "waves" based on nadir of daily hospital admissions, with wave 3 (September 20, 2020 - March 10, 2021) split at its zenith due to high volume with steep acceleration and deceleration. Outcomes included changes in clinical practice (eg, use of corticosteroids, antivirals, and other therapies) in relation to timing of internal system analyses, scientific publications, and regulatory approvals, along with 30-day rate of mortality over time.

Results

The mean (SD) daily number of admissions across hospitals was 26 (29) with a maximum 7-day moving average of 107 patients. System-wide implementation of the use of dexamethasone, remdesivir, and tocilizumab occurred within days of release of corresponding seminal publications and regulatory actions. After adjustment for differences in patient clinical profiles over time, each month of hospital admission was associated with an estimated 5% lower odds of 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval: 0.93-0.97, P < .001).

Conclusions

In our large LHS, near real-time changes in clinical management of COVID-19 patients happened promptly as scientific publications and regulatory approvals occurred throughout the pandemic. Alongside these changes, patients with COVID-19 experienced lower adjusted 30-day mortality following hospital admission over time.

Use of pragmatic and explanatory trial designs in acute care research: lessons from COVID-19

Unique challenges arise when conducting trials to evaluate therapies already in common clinical use, including difficulty enrolling patients owing to widespread open-label use of trial therapies and the need for large sample sizes to detect small but clinically meaningful treatment effects. Despite numerous successes in trials evaluating novel interventions such as vaccines, traditional explanatory trials have struggled to provide definitive answers to time-sensitive questions for acutely ill patients with COVID-19. Pragmatic trials, which can increase efficiency by allowing some or all trial procedures to be embedded into clinical care, are increasingly proposed as a means to evaluate therapies that are in common clinical use. In this Personal View, we use two concurrently conducted COVID-19 trials of hydroxychloroquine (the US ORCHID trial and the UK RECOVERY trial) to contrast the effects of explanatory and pragmatic trial designs on trial conduct, trial results, and the care of patients managed outside of clinical trials. In view of the potential advantages and disadvantages of explanatory and pragmatic trial designs, we make recommendations for their optimal use in the evaluation of therapies in the acute care setting.

Economic Evaluation of Cost and Time Required for a Platform Trial vs Conventional Trials

Importance

Platform trial design allows the introduction of new interventions after the trial is initiated and offers efficiencies to clinical research. However, limited guidance exists on the economic resources required to establish and maintain platform trials.

Objective

To compare cost (US dollars) and time requirements of conducting a platform trial vs a series of conventional (nonplatform) trials using a real-life example.

Design, Setting, and Participants

For this economic evaluation, an online survey was administered to a group of international experts (146 participants) with publication records of platform trials to elicit their opinions on cost and time to set up and conduct platform, multigroup, and 2-group trials. Using the reported entry dates of 10 interventions into Systemic Therapy in Advancing Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Drug Efficacy, the longest ongoing platform trial, 3 scenarios were designed involving a single platform trial (scenario 1), 1 multigroup followed by 5 2-group trials (scenario 2), and a series of 10 2-group trials (scenario 3). All scenarios started with 5 interventions, then 5 more interventions were either added to the platform or evaluated independently. Simulations with the survey results as inputs were used to compare the platform vs conventional trial designs. Data were analyzed from July to September 2021.

Exposure

Platform trial design.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Total trial setup and conduct cost and cumulative duration.

Results

Although setup time and cost requirements of a single trial were highest for the platform trial, cumulative requirements of setting up a series of multiple trials in scenarios 2 and 3 were larger. Compared with the platform trial, there was a median (IQR) increase of 216.7% (202.2%-242.5%) in cumulative setup costs for scenario 2 and 391.1% (365.3%-437.9%) for scenario 3. In terms of total cost, there was a median (IQR) increase of 17.4% (12.1%-22.5%) for scenario 2 and 57.5% (43.1%-69.9%) for scenario 3. There was a median (IQR) increase in cumulative trial duration of 171.1% (158.3%-184.3%) for scenario 2 and 311.9% (282.0%-349.1%) for scenario 3. Cost and time reductions in the platform trial were observed in both the initial and subsequently evaluated interventions.

Conclusions and Relevance

Although setting up platform trials can take longer and be costly, the findings of this study suggest that having a single infrastructure can improve efficiencies with respect to costs and efforts.

JAK Inhibition as a New Treatment Strategy for Patients with COVID-19

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic continues to spread globally. The rapid dispersion of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 drives an urgent need for effective treatments, especially for patients who develop severe pneumonia. The excessive and uncontrolled release of pro-inflammatory cytokines has proved to be an essential factor in the rapidity of disease progression, and some cytokines are significantly associated with adverse outcomes. Most of the upregulated cytokines signal through the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway. Therefore, blocking the exaggerated release of cytokines, including IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFNα/β/γ, by inhibiting JAK/STAT signaling will, presumably, offer favorable pharmacodynamics and present an attractive prospect. JAK inhibitors (JAKi) can also inhibit members of the numb-associated kinase (NAK) family, including AP2-associated kinase 1 (AAK1) and cyclin G-associated kinase (GAK), which regulate the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) transmembrane protein and are involved in host viral endocytosis. According to the data released from current clinical trials, JAKi treatment can effectively control the dysregulated cytokine storm and improve clinical outcomes regarding mortality, ICU admission, and discharge. There are still some concerns surrounding thromboembolic events, opportunistic infection such as herpes zoster virus reactivation, and repression of the host's type-I IFN-dependent immune repair for both viral and bacterial infection. However, the current JAKi clinical trials of COVID-19 raised no new safety concerns except a slightly increased risk of herpes virus infection. In the updated WHO guideline, Baricitinb is strongly recommended as an alternative to IL-6 receptor blockers, particularly in combination with corticosteroids, in patients with severe or critical COVID-19. Future studies will explore the application of JAKi to COVID-19 treatment in greater detail, such as the optimal timing and course of JAKi treatment, individualized medication strategies based on pharmacogenomics, and the effect of combined medications.

Immune-based therapeutic approaches in COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a member of the Coronaviridae family. On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) has named the newly emerged rapidly-spreading epidemic as a pandemic. Besides the risk-reduction measures such as physical and social distancing and vaccination, a wide range of treatment modalities have been developed; aiming to fight the disease. The immune system is known as a double-edged sword in COVID-19 pathogenesis, with respect to its role in eliminating the pathogen and in inducing complications such as cytokine storm syndrome. Hence, immune-based therapeutic approaches have become an interesting field of COVID-19 research, including corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG), interferon therapy, and more COVID-19-specific approaches such as anti-SARS-CoV-2-monoclonal antibodies. Herein, we did a comprehensive review on immune-based therapeutic approaches for COVID-19. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT: Not applicable.

Efficacy and safety of corticosteroid regimens for the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients: a meta-analysis

Aim

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of corticosteroids for treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Materials & methods

Efficacy outcomes included time to negative SARS-CoV-2 tests, length of stay, duration and incidence of intensive unit care stay, incidence of mortality and duration and incidence of mechanical ventilation. Safety outcomes included the incidence of adverse events and severe adverse events, incidence of hyperglycemia and incidence of nosocomial infections.

Results

Ninety-five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies (n = 42,205) were included. Corticosteroids were associated with increased length of stay (based on RCT only), increased time to negative tests, decreased length of mechanical ventilation and increased odds of hyperglycemia.

Conclusion

Corticosteroids should be considered in patients requiring mechanical ventilation, and glycemic monitoring may be needed when administering corticosteroids.

Pharmacological Studies in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Belgium: We Could Do Better

Belgium has actively participated in clinical research on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) since the beginning of the pandemic to help identify effective and safe treatments for COVID-19. The objective of this review is to provide a picture of the clinical studies carried out in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Belgium. We collected data on all randomized, interventional trials in patients with COVID-19 that were registered on two recognized clinical trial registers, started enrollment before 31 December 2021, and included at least one patient in a Belgian center. Data were collected concerning the therapies investigated and the nature of the trials performed. Thirty-three hospitals (32% of all Belgian hospitals) participated in at least one of 28 trials (13 sponsored by the industry and 15 by academic centers) on therapeutics for COVID-19 in hospitalized patients: 7 (25%) evaluated antivirals, 17 (61%) immunomodulators, 2 (7%) anti-coagulants, and 1 (3%) nitric oxide to improve respiratory function. Nineteen (68%) were phase II trials. Only three (11%) of the trials were international platform trials. Despite numerous trials, less than 3% of all Belgian patients hospitalized with COVID-19 participated in a clinical trial on therapeutics. As in many other countries, more efforts could have been made to avoid running small, under-powered, mono- or bicenter trials, to create better collaboration between the different Belgian hospitals, and to participate in more international clinical trials, and more specifically in adaptive, platform trials.

Cortisol as an Independent Predictor of Unfavorable Outcomes in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Most cases of COVID-19 are non-severe, but some patients require urgent hospital care. In the past, it has been established that adrenal hyperactivity predicts poorer prognosis in severely ill patients. We wanted to verify if cortisol levels can be tied to clinical outcomes and the degree of inflammation in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We recruited 180 adult patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19. The group was divided into smaller subgroups based on the glucocorticoid treatment status; the subgroups were evaluated in three separate time points. The assessment involved hormonal function (cortisol, ACTH), inflammatory markers, and occurrence of the pre-selected endpoints (death, hospitalization ≥10 days, non-invasive ventilation or high-flow oxygenation, mechanical ventilation, vasopressors). In the evaluated group, 121 patients showed signs of abnormal adrenal function. There was a clear correlation between cortisol and IL-6 concentrations in all three time points regardless of glucocorticoid treatment. A total of 71.1% of patients displaying abnormal cortisol production met the preselected endpoints. Our analysis showed that a cutoff cortisol concentration prognosing endpoint occurrence could be set at 15.45 μg/dL for patients not treated with glucocorticoids. Cortisol concentration can be seen as an independent prognostic factor for unfavorable outcomes in selected adults hospitalized with COVID-19.

Glucocorticoid therapy in respiratory illness: bench to bedside

Each year, hundreds of millions of individuals are affected by respiratory disease leading to approximately 4 million deaths. Most respiratory pathologies involve substantially dysregulated immune processes that either fail to resolve the underlying process or actively exacerbate the disease. Therefore, clinicians have long considered immune-modulating corticosteroids (CSs), particularly glucocorticoids (GCs), as a critical tool for management of a wide spectrum of respiratory conditions. However, the complex interplay between effectiveness, risks and side effects can lead to different results, depending on the disease in consideration. In this comprehensive review, we present a summary of the bench and the bedside evidence regarding GC treatment in a spectrum of respiratory illnesses. We first describe here the experimental evidence of GC effects in the distal airways and/or parenchyma, both in vitro and in disease-specific animal studies, then we evaluate the recent clinical evidence regarding GC treatment in over 20 respiratory pathologies. Overall, CS remain a critical tool in the management of respiratory illness, but their benefits are dependent on the underlying pathology and should be weighed against patient-specific risks.

Dynamic of Serum TWEAK Levels in Critically Ill COVID-19 Male Patients

Although the number of cases and mortality of COVID-19 are seemingly declining, clinicians endeavor to establish indicators and predictors of such responses in order to optimize treatment regimens for future outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 or similar viruses. Considering the importance of aberrant immune response in severe COVID-19, in the present study, we aimed to explore the dynamic of serum TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) levels in critically-ill COVID-19 patients and establish whether these levels may predict in-hospital mortality and if TWEAK is associated with impairment of testosterone levels observed in this population. The present single-center cohort study involved 66 men between the ages of 18 and 65 who were suffering from a severe type of COVID-19. Serum TWEAK was rising during the first week after admission to intensive care unit (ICU), whereas decline to baseline values was observed in the second week post-ICU admission (p = 0.032) but not in patients who died in hospital. Receiver-operator characteristics analysis demonstrated that serum TWEAK at admission to ICU is a significant predictor of in-hospital mortality (AUC = 0.689, p = 0.019). Finally, a negative correlation was found between serum TWEAK at admission and testosterone levels (r = −0.310, p = 0.036). In summary, serum TWEAK predicts in-hospital mortality in severe COVID-19. In addition, inflammatory pathways including TWEAK seem to be implicated in pathophysiology of reproductive hormone axis disturbance in severe form of COVID-19.

CD4+ T-Cell Dysfunction in Severe COVID-19 Disease Is Tumor Necrosis Factor-α/Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 1-Dependent

Rationale: Lymphopenia is common in severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19), yet the immune mechanisms are poorly understood. As inflammatory cytokines are increased in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, we hypothesized a role in contributing to reduced T-cell numbers. Objectives: We sought to characterize the functional SARS-CoV-2 T-cell responses in patients with severe versus recovered, mild COVID-19 to determine whether differences were detectable. Methods: Using flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequence analyses, we assessed SARS-CoV-2-specific responses in our cohort. Measurements and Main Results: In 148 patients with severe COVID-19, we found lymphopenia was associated with worse survival. CD4+ lymphopenia predominated, with lower CD4+/CD8+ ratios in severe COVID-19 compared with patients with mild disease (P < 0.0001). In severe disease, immunodominant CD4+ T-cell responses to Spike-1 (S1) produced increased in vitro TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) but demonstrated impaired S1-specific proliferation and increased susceptibility to activation-induced cell death after antigen exposure. CD4+TNF-α+ T-cell responses inversely correlated with absolute CD4+ counts from patients with severe COVID-19 (n = 76; R = -0.797; P < 0.0001). In vitro TNF-α blockade, including infliximab or anti-TNF receptor 1 antibodies, strikingly rescued S1-specific CD4+ T-cell proliferation and abrogated S1-specific activation-induced cell death in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with severe COVID-19 (P < 0.001). Single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated marked downregulation of type-1 cytokines and NFκB signaling in S1-stimulated CD4+ cells with infliximab treatment. We also evaluated BAL and lung explant CD4+ T cells recovered from patients with severe COVID-19 and observed that lung T cells produced higher TNF-α compared with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Conclusions: Together, our findings show CD4+ dysfunction in severe COVID-19 is TNF-α/TNF receptor 1-dependent through immune mechanisms that may contribute to lymphopenia. TNF-α blockade may be beneficial in severe COVID-19.

Impact of dexamethasone on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients: a propensity-matched cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of treatment with steroids on the incidence and outcome of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients.

DESIGN

Propensity-matched retrospective cohort study from February 24 to December 31, 2020, in 4 dedicated COVID-19 Intensive Care Units (ICU) in Lombardy (Italy).

PATIENTS

Adult consecutive mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients were subdivided into two groups: (1) treated with low-dose corticosteroids (dexamethasone 6 mg/day intravenous for 10 days) (DEXA+); (2) not treated with corticosteroids (DEXA-). A propensity score matching procedure (1:1 ratio) identified patients' cohorts based on: age, weight, PEEP Level, PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio, non-respiratory Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), C reactive protein plasma concentration at admission, sex and admission hospital (exact matching).

INTERVENTION

Dexamethasone 6 mg/day intravenous for 10 days from hospital admission.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Seven hundred and thirty-nine patients were included, and the propensity-score matching identified two groups of 158 subjects each. Eighty-nine (56%) DEXA+ versus 55 (34%) DEXA- patients developed a VAP (RR 1.61 (1.26-2.098), p = 0.0001), after similar time from hospitalization, ICU admission and intubation. DEXA+ patients had higher crude VAP incidence rate (49.58 (49.26-49.91) vs. 31.65 (31.38-31.91)VAP*1000/pd), (IRR 1.57 (1.55-1.58), p < 0.0001) and risk for VAP (HR 1.81 (1.31-2.50), p = 0.0003), with longer ICU LOS and invasive mechanical ventilation but similar mortality (RR 1.17 (0.85-1.63), p = 0.3332). VAPs were similarly due to G+ bacteria (mostly Staphylococcus aureus) and G- bacteria (mostly Enterobacterales). Forty-one (28%) VAPs were due to multi-drug resistant bacteria. VAP was associated with almost doubled ICU and hospital LOS and invasive mechanical ventilation, and increased mortality (RR 1.64 [1.02-2.65], p = 0.040) with no differences among patients' groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Critically ill COVID-19 patients are at high risk for VAP, frequently caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria, and the risk is increased by corticosteroid treatment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT04388670, retrospectively registered May 14, 2020.

Nicotine patches in patients on mechanical ventilation for severe COVID-19: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial

Purpose

Epidemiologic studies have documented lower rates of active smokers compared to former or non-smokers in symptomatic patients affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We assessed the efficacy and safety of nicotine administered by a transdermal patch in critically ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Methods

In this multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in 18 intensive care units in France, we randomly assigned adult patients (non-smokers, non-vapers or who had quit smoking/vaping for at least 12 months) with proven COVID-19 pneumonia receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for up to 72 h to receive transdermal patches containing either nicotine at a daily dose of 14 mg or placebo until 48 h following successful weaning from mechanical ventilation or for a maximum of 30 days, followed by 3-week dose tapering by 3.5 mg per week. Randomization was stratified by centre, non- or former smoker status and Sequential Organ Function Assessment score (< or ≥ 7). The primary outcome was day-28 mortality. Main prespecified secondary outcomes included 60-day mortality, time to successful extubation, days alive and free from mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy, vasopressor support or organ failure at day 28.

Results

Between November 6th 2020, and April 2nd 2021, 220 patients were randomized from 18 active recruiting centers. After excluding 2 patients who withdrew consent, 218 patients (152 [70%] men) were included in the analysis: 106 patients to the nicotine group and 112 to the placebo group. Day-28 mortality did not differ between the two groups (30 [28%] of 106 patients in the nicotine group vs 31 [28%] of 112 patients in the placebo group; odds ratio 1.03 [95% confidence interval, CI 0.57–1.87]; p = 0.46). The median number of day-28 ventilator-free days was 0 (IQR 0–14) in the nicotine group and 0 (0–13) in the placebo group (with a difference estimate between the medians of 0 [95% CI -3–7]). Adverse events likely related to nicotine were rare (3%) and similar between the two groups.

Conclusion

In patients having developed severe COVID-19 pneumonia requiring invasive mechanical ventilation, transdermal nicotine did not significantly reduce day-28 mortality. There is no indication to use nicotine in this situation.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00134-022-06721-1.

Clinical update on COVID-19 for the emergency and critical care clinician: Medical management

INTRODUCTION

Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in millions of cases worldwide. As the pandemic has progressed, the understanding of this disease has evolved.

OBJECTIVE

This is the second part in a series on COVID-19 updates providing a focused overview of the medical management of COVID-19 for emergency and critical care clinicians.

DISCUSSION

COVID-19, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. A variety of medical therapies have been introduced for use, including steroids, antivirals, interleukin-6 antagonists, monoclonal antibodies, and kinase inhibitors. These agents have each demonstrated utility in certain patient subsets. Prophylactic anticoagulation in admitted patients demonstrates improved outcomes. Further randomized data concerning aspirin in outpatients with COVID-19 are needed. Any beneficial impact of other therapies, such as colchicine, convalescent plasma, famotidine, ivermectin, and vitamins and minerals is not present in reliable medical literature. In addition, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are not recommended.

CONCLUSION

This review provides a focused update of the medical management of COVID-19 for emergency and critical care clinicians to help improve care for these patients.

Research in Pediatric Intensive Care

Many important clinical questions remain unanswered in the practice of pediatric intensive care due to the lack of high-quality evidence. Although challenges exist in conducting research in pediatric intensive care units, identification of research priorities, interdisciplinary collaborations, innovative trial designs, and the use of common datasets and outcome measures helps to bring new knowledge to our field. The topic of "Research in PICUs" is extremely broad; therefore, this review focuses on a few common themes receiving increased attention in the literature, including research agendas, core outcome sets, precision medicine, and novel clinical trial strategies.

Evolution of Clinical Care in COVID-Infected Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Purpose of Review

In this review, we aim to summarize the evolution of care for the solid organ transplant recipient (SOTR) with COVID-19 disease, based on the current published guidelines and our center's experience.

Recent Findings

Oral antiviral medications and monoclonal antibodies are now used with the goal to prevent severe disease. Immunomodulating drugs in addition to antivirals have been used in the treatment of severe COVID-19.

Summary

With the ongoing pandemic and unique challenges posed by the SOTR, understanding the risk and advancing management and treatment of COVID-19 infections are imperative to the successful care of a transplant recipient. There are many ongoing clinical trials being conducted in hopes of developing novel therapeutics towards COVID-19.

Pathogenesis of pneumonia and acute lung injury

Pneumonia and its sequelae, acute lung injury, present unique challenges for pulmonary and critical care healthcare professionals, and these challenges have recently garnered global attention due to the ongoing Sars-CoV-2 pandemic. One limitation to translational investigation of acute lung injury, including its most severe manifestation (acute respiratory distress syndrome, ARDS) has been heterogeneity resulting from the clinical and physiologic diagnosis that represents a wide variety of etiologies. Recent efforts have improved our understanding and approach to heterogeneity by defining sub-phenotypes of ARDS although significant gaps in knowledge remain. Improving our mechanistic understanding of acute lung injury and its most common cause, infectious pneumonia, can advance our approach to precision targeted clinical interventions. Here, we review the pathogenesis of pneumonia and acute lung injury, including how respiratory infections and lung injury disrupt lung homoeostasis, and provide an overview of respiratory microbial pathogenesis, the lung microbiome, and interventions that have been demonstrated to improve outcomes-or not-in human clinical trials.