Rapid response to COVID-19, escalation and de-escalation strategies to match surge capacity of Intensive Care beds to a large scale epidemic. / Respuesta rápida a COVID-19, estrategias de escalada y desescalada para ajustar la capacidad suplementaria de camas de UVI a una epidemia de gran magnitud.

BACKGROUND: A major challenge during the COVID-19 outbreak is the sudden increase in ICU bed occupancy rate. In this article we reviewed the strategies of escalation and de-escalation put in place at a large university hospital in Madrid during the COVID-19 outbreak, in order to meet the growing demand of ICU beds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data displayed originated from the hospital information system and the hospital contingency plan. RESULTS: The COVID-19 outbreak produced a surge of ICU patients which saturated the available ICU capacity within a few days. A total of four new ICUs had to be opened in order to accommodate all necessary new ICU admissions. Management challenges included infrastructure, material allocation and ICU staffing. Through the strategies put in place the hospital was able to generate a surge capacity of ICU beds of 340%, meet all requirements and also maintain minimal surgical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital surge capacity is to date hardly quantifiable and often has to face physical limitations (material, personnel, spaces). However an extremely flexible and adaptable management strategy can help to overcome some of these limitations and stretch the system capacities during times of extreme need.

Patient characteristics, clinical course and factors associated to ICU mortality in critically ill patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Spain: A prospective, cohort, multicentre study. / Características, evolución clínica y factores asociados a la mortalidad en UCI de los pacientes críticos infectados por SARS-CoV-2 en España: estudio prospectivo, de cohorte y multicéntrico.

BACKGROUND: The clinical course of COVID-19 critically ill patients, during their admission in the intensive care unit (UCI), including medical and infectious complications and support therapies, as well as their association with in-ICU mortality has not been fully reported. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe clinical characteristics and clinical course of ICU COVID-19 patients, and to determine risk factors for ICU mortality of COVID-19 patients. METHODS: Prospective, multicentre, cohort study that enrolled critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted into 30 ICUs from Spain and Andorra. Consecutive patients from March 12th to May 26th, 2020 were enrolled if they had died or were discharged from ICU during the study period. Demographics, symptoms, vital signs, laboratory markers, supportive therapies, pharmacological treatments, medical and infectious complications were reported and compared between deceased and discharged patients. RESULTS: A total of 663 patients were included. Overall ICU mortality was 31% (203 patients). At ICU admission non-survivors were more hypoxemic [SpO2 with non-rebreather mask, 90 (IQR 83 to 93) vs. 91 (IQR 87 to 94); P<.001] and with higher sequential organ failure assessment score [SOFA, 7 (IQR 5 to 9) vs. 4 (IQR 3 to 7); P<.001]. Complications were more frequent in non-survivors: acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (95% vs. 89%; P=.009), acute kidney injury (AKI) (58% vs. 24%; P<10-16), shock (42% vs. 14%; P<10-13), and arrhythmias (24% vs. 11%; P<10-4). Respiratory super-infection, bloodstream infection and septic shock were higher in non-survivors (33% vs. 25%; P=.03, 33% vs. 23%; P=.01 and 15% vs. 3%, P=10-7), respectively. The multivariable regression model showed that age was associated with mortality, with every year increasing risk-of-death by 1% (95%CI: 1 to 10, P=.014). Each 5-point increase in APACHE II independently predicted mortality [OR: 1.508 (1.081, 2.104), P=.015]. Patients with AKI [OR: 2.468 (1.628, 3.741), P<10-4)], cardiac arrest [OR: 11.099 (3.389, 36.353), P=.0001], and septic shock [OR: 3.224 (1.486, 6.994), P=.002] had an increased risk-of-death. CONCLUSIONS: Older COVID-19 patients with higher APACHE II scores on admission, those who developed AKI grades ii or iii and/or septic shock during ICU stay had an increased risk-of-death. ICU mortality was 31%.

The importance of bilateral monitoring of cerebral oxygenation (NIRS): Clinical case of asymmetry during cardiopulmonary bypass secondary to previous cerebral infarction. / Importancia de la monitorización bilateral de la oxigenación cerebral: caso clínico de asimetría durante el bypass cardiopulmonar secundaria a infarto cerebral previo.

Cerebral oximetry based on near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology is used to determine cerebral tissue oxygenation. We hereby present the clinical case of a 12-month old child with right hemiparesis secondary to prior left middle cerebral artery stroke 8 months ago. The child underwent surgical enlargement of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) with cardiopulmonary bypass. During cardiopulmonary bypass, asymmetric NIRS results were detected between both hemispheres. The utilization of multimodal neuromonitoring (NIRS-BIS) allowed acting on both perfusion pressure and anesthetic depth to balance out the supply and demand of cerebral oxygen consumption. No new neurological sequelae were observed postoperatively. We consider bilateral NIRS monitoring necessary in order to detect asymmetries between cerebral hemispheres. Although asymmetries were not present at baseline, they can arise intraoperatively and its monitoring thus allows the detection and treatment of cerebral ischemia-hypoxia in the healthy hemisphere, which if undetected and untreated would lead to additional neurological damage.