The Role of Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS) in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19: A Multicenter, Cohort Study.

Background: Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can boost the systematic inflammatory response in critically ill patients, causing a systemic hyperinflammatory state leading to multiple complications. In COVID-19 patients, the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) is surrounded by controversy regarding their impacts on viral infections. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ICS in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and its clinical outcomes. Method: A multicenter, noninterventional, cohort study for critically ill patients with COVID-19 who received ICS. All patients aged ≥ 18 years old with confirmed COVID-19 and admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 were screened. Eligible patients were classified into two groups based on the use of ICS ± long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) during ICU stay. Propensity score (PS)-matched was used based on patient's Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, systemic corticosteroids use, and acute kidney injury (AKI) within 24 h of ICU admission. We considered a P-value of < 0.05 statistically significant. Results: A total of 954 patients were eligible; 130 patients were included after PS matching (1:1 ratio). The 30-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval [CI]]: 0.53 [0.31, 0.93], P-value = 0.03) was statistically significant lower in patients who received ICS. Conversely, the in-hospital mortality, ventilator-free days (VFDs), ICU length of stay (LOS), and hospital LOS were not statistically significant between the two groups. Conclusion: The use of ICS ± LABA in COVID-19 patients may have survival benefits at 30 days. However, it was not associated with in-hospital mortality benefits nor VFDs.

Comparison between esomeprazole 20 mg Vs 40 mg as stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) in critically ill patients: A retrospective cohort study.

Critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) are at high risk of developing upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to GI stress ulceration (SU). The major independent risk factors for the development of GI bleeding in the ICUs include mechanical ventilation (MV) and coagulopathy. There is no enough evidence regarding the most appropriate dosing of esomeprazole as stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) in critically ill patients. This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh between January and December 2018 to determine the efficacy and safety of two different regimens of esomeprazole (20 vs 40 mg) as SUP in critically ill patients with major risk factors of GI stress ulceration. A total of 1864 patients were reviewed, 387 patients meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled. The propensity score was used to adjust for clinically and statistically relevant variables. We considered a P value of <.05 as statistically significant. 49 patients (12.6%) had received Esomeprazole 20 mg during the study period. Compared with Esomeprazole 20 mg, Esomeprazole 40 mg was not superior in GI bleeding prevention (aOR 2.611, 95% CI 0.343-20.247, P = .356). In addition, neither ICU C. difficle, ICU mortality within 30 days, ICU LOS, hospital LOS, ICU re-admission within 6 months, RBCs transfusion, nor platelets transfusion requirements were significant. On the other hand, Esomeprazole 40 mg was statistically associated with Enterobacteriaceae, Pneumonia, and longer MV duration.