Persistent Respiratory Failure and Re-Admission in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Following Hospitalization for COVID-19.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been associated with worse clinical evolution/survival during a hospitalization for SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19). The objective of this study was to learn the situation of these patients at discharge as well as the risk of re-admission/mortality in the following 12 months. Methods: We carried out a subanalysis of the RECOVID registry. A multicenter, observational study that retrospectively collected data on severe acute COVID-19 episodes and follow-up visits for up to a year in survivors. The data collection protocol includes general demographic data, smoking, comorbidities, pharmacological treatment, infection severity, complications during hospitalization and required treatment. At discharge, resting oxygen saturation (SpO2), dyspnea according to the mMRC (modified Medical Research Council) scale and long-term oxygen therapy prescription were recorded. The follow-up database included the clinical management visits at 6 and 12 months, where re-admission and mortality were recorded. Results: A total of 2047 patients were included (5.6% had a COPD diagnosis). At discharge, patients with COPD had greater dyspnea and a greater need for prescription home oxygen. After adjusting for age, sex and Charlson comorbidity index, patients with COPD had a greater risk of hospital re-admission due to respiratory causes (HR 2.57 [1.35-4.89], p = 0.004), with no significant differences in survival. Conclusion: Patients with COPD who overcome a serious SARS-CoV2 infection show a worse clinical situation at discharge and a greater risk of re-admission for respiratory causes.

Tratamiento con esteroides sistémicos en agudización grave de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica: empleo de pautas cortas en práctica clínica habitual y relación con la estancia hospitalaria / Treatment With Systemic Steroids in Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations: Use of Short Regimens in Routine Clinical Practice and Their Impact on Hospital Stay

Introducción: Se desconoce si en la práctica clínica habitual se siguen las recomendaciones de las guías de práctica clínica con respecto al tratamiento de las exacerbaciones de la EPOC con pautas cortas (PC) de corticoesteroides sistémicos (CS). Método: Estudio de cohortes, prospectivo y observacional en pacientes que ingresan por una agudización grave de su EPOC. La variable principal fue porcentaje de pacientes que recibían PC de CS como tratamiento en la exacerbación grave (dosis acumulada total de 200 a 300 mg y una duración de 5-6 días). Las variables secundarias fueron porcentaje de pacientes con duración o dosis corta, dosis en las primeras 24 horas, días de CS intravenosos y duración de la estancia hospitalaria (EH). Se realizó regresión lineal simple con días de estancia hospitalaria como variable dependiente y análisis multivariante con factores asociados a estancia hospitalaria. Resultados: Se evaluaron 158 pacientes; 4,4% (7) pacientes recibieron una PC de CS. El 8,7% recibió un tratamiento corto y el 15,8% una duración reducida. La mediana de dosis y duración de CS fue 602,5 mg (rango intercuartílico: 430-850) y 14 (rango intercuartílico: 4-36) días respectivamente. Observamos asociación entre más días de CS y una mayor EH (p < 0,001) y una mayor dosis de CS intrahospitalaria e incremento de EH (p < 0,001).Los factores asociados con EH fueron dosis de CS intrahospitalaria recibida (0,01 [IC 95%: 0,007-0,013]; p < 0,001), días de tratamiento esteroideo (0,14 [IC 95%: 0,03-0,25]; p = 0,009) y PAFI (cociente pO2/FiO2) al ingreso (-0,012 [IC 95%: -0,012 a -0,002]; p = 0,015). Conclusiones: Las pautas de CS empleadas en la práctica clínica habitual son más prolongadas y a una mayor dosis que las recomendadas, asociando una mayor estancia hospitalaria (AU)

Introduction: It is not known whether clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of COPD exacerbations with short coursesofsystemic corticosteroids(SC-SCS) are followed in clinical practice. Method: Prospective, observational cohort study in patients admitted due to severe COPD exacerbation. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients who received SC-SCS as treatment for severe exacerbation (doses of 200-300 mg for 5-6 days). Secondary variables were percentageof patients with duration or reduced dose, dose in the first 2 4hours, days of intravenous systemic corticosteroids (SCS), and duration of hospital length of stay (LOS). Simple linear regression was performed with LOS as a dependent variable and multivariate analysis with factors associated with LOS. Results: 158 patients were evaluated. 4.4% (7) patients received SC-SCS, 8.7% received a reduced dose and duration was reduced in 15.8%. The median dose and duration of SCS were 602.5mg (200-1625) and 14 (4-36) days, respectively. We observed an association between days of SCSand LOS (P < .001) and doses of intrahospitalSCSand LOS (P < .001). Factors associated with LOS were doses of intrahospitalSCS received (.01 [95% CI:.007-.013]; P < 0.001), days of steroid treatment (.14 [95% CI .03-.25], P = .009) and PAFI (pO2/FiO2 ratio) at admission (-.012 [95% CI: -.012 to -.002], P = .015). Conclusions: The SCS schedules used in routine clinical practice are longer and administered at a higher dose than recommended, leading toa longer hospital stay (AU)