Clinical Findings and Outcomes From Subjects With COVID-19 Pneumonia in an Intermediate Respiratory Care Unit.

BACKGROUND: Many patients with COVID-19 require respiratory support and close monitoring. Intermediate respiratory care units (IRCU) may be valuable to optimally and adequately implement noninvasive respiratory support (NRS) to decrease clinical failure. We aimed at describing intubation and mortality in a novel facility entirely dedicated to COVID-19 and to establish their outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational study performed at one hospital in Spain. We included consecutive subjects age > 18 y, admitted to IRCU with COVID-19 pneumonia, and requiring NRS between December 2020-September 2021. Data collected included mode and usage of NRS, laboratory findings, endotracheal intubation, and mortality at day 30. A multivariable Cox model was used to assess risk factors associated with clinical failure and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 1,306 subjects were included; 64.6% were male with mean age of 54.7 y. During the IRCU stay, 345 subjects clinically failed NRS (85.5% intubated; 14.5% died). Cox model showed a higher clinical failure in IRCU upon onset of symptoms and hospitalization was < 10 d (hazard ratio [HR] 1.59 [95% CI 1.24-2.03], P < .001) and PaO2 /FIO2 < 100 mm Hg (HR 1.59 [95% CI 1.27-1.98], P < .001). These variables were not associated with increased 30-d mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The IRCU was a valuable option to manage subjects with COVID-19 requiring NRS, thus reducing ICU overload. Male sex, gas exchange, and blood chemistry at admission were associated with worse prognosis, whereas older age, gas exchange, and blood chemistry were associated with 30-d mortality. These findings may provide a basis for better understanding outcomes and to improve management of noninvasively ventilated patients with COVID-19.

High-flow nasal cannula for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) due to COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC) has been shown to be a useful therapy in the treatment of patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), but its efficacy is still unknown in patients with COVID-19. Our objective is to describe its utility as therapy for the treatment of ARDS caused by SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: A retrospective, observational study was performed at a single centre, evaluating patients with ARDS secondary to COVID-19 treated with HFNC. The main outcome was the intubation rate at day 30, which defined failure of therapy. We also analysed the role of the ROX index to predict the need for intubation. RESULTS: In the study period, 196 patients with bilateral pneumonia were admitted to our pulmonology unit, 40 of whom were treated with HFNC due to the presence of ARDS. The intubation rate at day 30 was 52.5%, and overall mortality was 22.5%. After initiating HFNC, the SpO2/FiO2 ratio was significantly better in the group that did not require intubation (113.4±6.6 vs 93.7±6.7, p=0.020), as was the ROX index (5.0±1.6 vs 4.0±1.0, p=0.018). A ROX index less than 4.94 measured 2 to 6 h after the start of therapy was associated with increased risk of intubation (HR 4.03 [95% CI 1.18 - 13.7]; p=0.026). CONCLUSION: High-flow therapy is a useful treatment in ARDS in order to avoid intubation or as a bridge therapy, and no increased mortality was observed secondary to the delay in intubation. After initiating HFNC, a ROX index below 4.94 predicts the need for intubation.

Vacunación antineumocócica: situación actual / Pneumococcal vaccination: current status

Las infecciones por Streptococcus pneumoniae originan una importante morbilidad y mortalidad. Entre las personas más susceptibles a su desarrollo se encuentran las de mayor edad, los pacientes inmunodeprimidos y aquellos con comorbilidad, pudiendo presentar además una mayor gravedad y una evolución más desfavorable. Las pautas de vacunación frente al neumococo tienen como objetivo disminuir la incidencia de estas infecciones. Las recomendaciones para ello han ido cambiando a lo largo de los años. La reciente aprobación de la vacuna neumocócica conjugada 20-valente simplifica la pauta previa, al unificar las indicaciones de vacunación en población adulta a partir de los 60 años con y sin factores predisponentes, así como en menores de 60 años con condiciones de riesgo. Está autorizada para mayores de 18 años, por lo que en menores se mantiene la pauta previa: a) si no hay factores ni condiciones de riesgo, se indican tres dosis de vacuna neumocócica conjugada 13 o 15-valente a los 2, 4 y 11 meses; b) si existen factores o condiciones de riesgo, a partir de los 2 años de edad puede ser necesario asociar la vacuna neumocócica de polisacáridos de 23 serotipos. (AU)

Streptococcus pneumoniae infections cause significant morbidity and mortality. Among the people most susceptible to infections are the elderly, immunosuppressed patients, and those with comorbidities, presenting a greater severity and a more unfavorable condition. Vaccination guidelines against pneumococcus aim to reduce the incidence of these infections, whose recommendations have changed over the years. The recent approval of the 20-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine simplifies the previous regimen, by unifying the indications for vaccination in the adult population aged 60 years and older with and without predisposing factors, as well as in those aged under 60 years with conditions of risk. It is authorized for the individuals aged over 18 years, so the previous regimen has been maintained in minors: a) if there are no risk factors or conditions, three doses are indicated: 13- or 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine at 2, 4, and 11 months and b) if there are risk factors or conditions, it may be necessary to associate the 23 serotypes pnemococcal polysaccharide vaccine from 2 years of age. (AU)

Revisión del tratamiento del síndrome obesidad hipoventilación / Review of the treatment of obesity hypoventilation syndrome

El síndrome de obesidad hipoventilación (SOH) se define como la coexistencia de obesidad (índice de masa corporal≥ 30 kg/mg²), alteraciones respiratorias durante el sueño e hipoventilación alveolar crónica que acarrea hipercapnia diurna(pCO2 ≥ 45 mmHg), cuando otras causas de hipoventilación han sido excluidas. Los pilares de tratamiento para el SOH sonla pérdida de peso y la presión positiva en la vía aérea (PAP) durante el sueño. El manejo de estos pacientes ha de sermultidisciplinario, con modificación de hábitos de vida, intensificación de la actividad física y estrategias de intervenciónfarmacológica o quirúrgica para la pérdida de peso, individualizando las terapias según cada paciente y sus comorbilidades.El modo de inicio de la PAP dependerá de la coexistencia de apnea obstructiva del sueño (AOS), considerando que apro-ximadamente el 90% de los pacientes con SOH presentan concomitantemente AOS, aunque de estos el 73% se consideraAOS grave. En aquellos pacientes con SOH y AOS grave en situación de estabilidad clínica se inclinará por inicio conpresión positiva continua en la vía aérea. Por otra parte, en aquellos pacientes sin AOS grave o durante una hospitalización,se recomienda iniciar directamente ventilación mecánica no invasiva. El seguimiento del paciente debe contemplar loscambios de estrategia necesarios para intentar un control óptimo del peso y el cumplimiento de la PAP.(AU)

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is defined as the coexistence of obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/mg²), respiratorydisturbances during sleep and chronic alveolar hypoventilation leading to daytime hypercapnia (pCO2 ≥ 45 mmHg), whenother causes of hypoventilation have been excluded. The mainstays of treatment for OHS are weight loss and positive airwaypressure (PAP) during sleep. The management of these patients must be multidisciplinary, with modification of lifestyle habits,intensification of physical activity and pharmacological or surgical intervention strategies for weight loss, individualizing thera-pies according to each patient and their comorbidities. The mode of onset of PAP will depend on the coexistence of obstruc-tive sleep apnea (OSA), considering that approximately 90% of patients with OHS present concomitant OSA, although 73%of these are considered severe OSA. In those patients with OHS and severe OSA in a situation of clinical stability, it is recom-mended to start with continuous positive airway pressure. On the other hand, it is recommended to start non invasive mecha-nical ventilation directly for those patients without severe OSA or during hospitalization. The follow-up of the patient mustconsider the necessary changes in strategy to try to achieve optimal weight control and compliance with the PAP.(AU)