A specialised cardiorespiratory team approach in the intensive care management of COVID-19 patients: benefit on mortality, diagnosis and management

Abstract

During the coronavirus pandemic, our intensive care units were faced with large numbers of patients with an unfamiliar disease. To support our colleagues and to assist with diagnosis and treatment, we developed a specialist team. The acute respiratory disease support team reviewed 44 consecutive patients referred from the intensive care and coordinated therapies for pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary thrombosis, evolving lung fibrosis and large airway intervention. The mortality for this group was significantly lower (34%) than the total group admitted to critical care as a whole (51%) and for those not reviewed by the team (55%; p=0.012). Pulmonary hypertension was present in 84% of the patients and pulmonary thrombosis in 52%. Thirty-two patients received sildenafil therapy and this was associated with improvement in right heart function in survivors. Ten patients with evolving fibrosis and no evidence of sepsis received high-dose steroid therapy with excellent effect. Five patients developed airway complications requiring intervention. Short time on mechanical ventilation was associated with a poorer outcome (p<0.001). A specialised cardiorespiratory team approach contributes significantly to successful management of severely unwell patients with COVID-19 and offers an important platform for continuity of patient care, education and staff well-being.