Thoracic Ultrasound in COVID-19: Use of Lung and Diaphragm Ultrasound in Evaluating Dyspnea in Survivors of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome from COVID-19 Pneumonia in a Post-ICU Clinic.

INTRODUCTION: Dyspnea is a common symptom in survivors of severe COVID-19 pneumonia. While frequently employed in hospital settings, the use of point-of-care ultrasound in ambulatory clinics for dyspnea evaluation has rarely been explored. We aimed to determine how lung ultrasound score (LUS) and inspiratory diaphragm excursion (DE) correlate with patient-reported dyspnea during a 6-min walk test (6MWT) in survivors of COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We hypothesize higher LUS and lower DE will correlate with dyspnea severity. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Single-center cross-sectional study of survivors of critically ill COVID-19 pneumonia (requiring high-flow nasal cannula, invasive, or non-invasive mechanical ventilation) seen in our Post-ICU clinic. All patients underwent standardized scanning protocols to compute LUS and DE. Pearson correlations were performed to detect an association between LUS and DE with dyspnea at rest and exertion during 6MWT. RESULTS: We enrolled 45 patients. Average age was 61.5 years (57.7% male), with average BMI of 32.3 Higher LUS correlated significantly with dyspnea, at rest (r = + 0.41, p = < 0.01) and at exertion (r = + 0.40, p = < 0.01). Higher LUS correlated significantly with lower oxygen saturation during 6MWT (r = -0.55, p = < 0.01) and lower 6MWT distance (r = -0.44, p = < 0.01). DE correlated significantly with 6MWT distance but did not correlate with dyspnea at rest or exertion. CONCLUSION: Higher LUS correlated significantly with patient-reported dyspnea at rest and exertion. Higher LUS significantly correlated with more exertional oxygen desaturation during 6MWT and lower 6MWT distance. DE did not correlate with dyspnea.

Utility of Screening for Cognitive Impairment at Hospital Discharge in Adult Survivors of Critical Illness.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have explored the utility of screening for cognitive impairment near hospital discharge in intensive care unit survivors. OBJECTIVES: To explore baseline and hospitalization characteristics associated with cognitive impairment at hospital discharge and the relationship between cognitive impairment and 6-month disability and mortality outcomes. METHODS: Hospital disability status and treatment variables were collected from 2 observational cohort studies. Patients were screened for cognitive impairment at hospital discharge using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)-Blind, and telephone follow-up was conducted 6 months after discharge to assess vital and physical disability status. RESULTS: Of 423 patients enrolled, 320 were alive at hospital discharge. A total of 213 patients (66.6%) were able to complete the MoCA near discharge; 47 patients (14.7%) could not complete it owing to cognitive impairment. In MoCA completers, the median (IQR) score was 17 (14-19). Older age (ß per year increase, -0.09 [95% CI, -0.13 to -0.05]) and blood transfusions during hospitalization (ß, -1.20 [95% CI, -2.26 to -0.14]) were associated with lower MoCA scores. At 6-month follow-up, 176 of 213 patients (82.6%) were alive, of whom 41 (23.3%) had new severe physical disabilities. Discharge MoCA score was not significantly associated with 6-month mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.03 [95% CI, 0.93-1.14]) but was significantly associated with risk of new severe disability at 6 months (adjusted odds ratio, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.76-0.94]). CONCLUSION: Assessing for cognitive impairment at hospital discharge may help identify intensive care unit survivors at higher risk of severe physical disabilities after critical illness.

Rhabdomyolysis in COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Knowledge about the pathophysiology of the disease and its effect on multiple systems is growing. Kidney injury has been a topic of focus, and rhabdomyolysis is suspected to be one of the contributing mechanisms. However, information on rhabdomyolysis in patients affected by COVID-19 is limited. We aim to describe the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who developed rhabdomyolysis. Materials and methods A retrospective observational cohort consisted of patients who were admitted and had an outcome between March 16 to May 27, 2020, inclusive of those dates at a single center in the Bronx, New York City. All consecutive inpatients with lab-confirmed COVID-19 were identified. Patients with peak total creatine kinase (CK) over 1,000 U/L were reviewed; 140 patients were included in the study. The main outcomes during hospitalization were new-onset renal replacement therapy and in-hospital mortality. Results The median age was 68 years (range: 21-93); 64% were males. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (73%), diabetes mellitus (47%), and chronic kidney disease (24%). Median CK on admission was 1,323 U/L (interquartile range [IQR]: 775 - 2,848). Median CK on discharge among survivors was 852 (IQR: 170 - 1,788). Median creatinine on admission was 1.78 mg/dL (IQR: 1.23 - 3.06). During hospitalization, 49 patients (35%) received invasive mechanical ventilation, 24 patients (17.1%) were treated with renal replacement therapy (RRT), and 66 (47.1%) died. Conclusions Rhabdomyolysis was a common finding among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in our hospital in the Bronx. The incidence of new-onset renal replacement therapy and in-hospital mortality is higher in patients who develop rhabdomyolysis. McMahon score, rather than isolated creatine kinase levels, was a statistically significant predictor of new-onset RRT. Clinicians should maintain a high level of suspicion for rhabdomyolysis in COVID-19 patients throughout their admission and use validated scores like McMahon score to devise their treatment plan accordingly.