Diagnosis Of ARDS Research Articles

Acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients with hematological malignancies: a one-year retrospective nationwide cohort study

BackgroundAcute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) occurring in patients with hematological malignancies (HM) is a life-threatening condition with specific features. Mortality rate remains high but improvement has been described over the past several years. We aimed to describe characteristics and outcomes of ARDS in HM patients admitted in French ICUs (Intensive Care Units) during a one year-period. Data for this nationwide cohort study were collected from the French national hospital database (Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d’Information (PMSI)). All patients (18 years or older) admitted to French ICUs in 2017 and with a diagnosis of ARDS were included. Three groups were compared according to the presence of an HM, a solid cancer or no cancer. The primary endpoint was 90-day mortality. Secondary endpoints were the description of ICU management, etiologies of ARDS and mortality risk factors.ResultsA total of 12 846 patients with ARDS were included. Among them, 990 had HM and 2744 had a solid cancer. The main malignancies were non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (28.5%), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (20.4%) and multiple myeloma (19.7%). Day-90 mortality in patients with HM was higher than in patients with no cancer (64.4% vs. 46.6% p = 0.01) but was not different from that of patients with solid cancer (64.4% vs. 61.4%,p = 0.09). Intubation rate was lower in patients with HM in comparison with both groups (87.7% vs. 90.4% p = 0.02 for patients with solid cancer and 87.7% vs. 91.3%; p < 0.01 with no cancer). Independent predictors of mortality for patients with HM were a diagnosis of lymphoma or acute leukemia, age, a high modified SAPS II score, a renal replacement therapy, invasive fungal infection, and a septic shock. Bacterial pneumonia, extrapulmonary infections and non-invasive ventilation were protective.ConclusionMortality remains high in patients with HM admitted in ICU with ARDS in comparison with patients without cancer. Mortality predictors for this population were a diagnosis of lymphoma or acute leukemia, age, a high modified SAPS II score, a renal replacement therapy, invasive fungal infection and a septic shock.

Clinical validation of a capnodynamic method for measuring end-expiratory lung volume in critically ill patients

RationaleEnd-expiratory lung volume (EELV) is reduced in mechanically ventilated patients, especially in pathologic conditions. The resulting heterogeneous distribution of ventilation increases the risk for ventilation induced lung injury. Clinical measurement of EELV however, remains difficult.ObjectiveValidation of a novel continuous capnodynamic method based on expired carbon dioxide (CO2) kinetics for measuring EELV in mechanically ventilated critically-ill patients.MethodsProspective study of mechanically ventilated patients scheduled for a diagnostic computed tomography exploration. Comparisons were made between absolute and corrected EELVCO2 values, the latter accounting for the amount of CO2 dissolved in lung tissue, with the reference EELV measured by computed tomography (EELVCT). Uncorrected and corrected EELVCO2 was compared with total CT volume (density compartments between − 1000 and 0 Hounsfield units (HU) and functional CT volume, including density compartments of − 1000 to − 200HU eliminating regions of increased shunt. We used comparative statistics including correlations and measurement of accuracy and precision by the Bland Altman method.Measurements and main resultsOf the 46 patients included in the final analysis, 25 had a diagnosis of ARDS (24 of which COVID-19). Both EELVCT and EELVCO2 were significantly reduced (39 and 40% respectively) when compared with theoretical values of functional residual capacity (p < 0.0001). Uncorrected EELVCO2 tended to overestimate EELVCT with a correlation r2 0.58; Bias − 285 and limits of agreement (LoA) (+ 513 to − 1083; 95% CI) ml. Agreement improved for the corrected EELVCO2 to a Bias of − 23 and LoA of (+ 763 to − 716; 95% CI) ml. The best agreement of the method was obtained by comparison of corrected EELVCO2 with functional EELVCT with a r2 of 0.59; Bias − 2.75 (+ 755 to − 761; 95% CI) ml. We did not observe major differences in the performance of the method between ARDS (most of them COVID related) and non-ARDS patients.ConclusionIn this first validation in critically ill patients, the capnodynamic method provided good estimates of both total and functional EELV. Bias improved after correcting EELVCO2 for extra-alveolar CO2 content when compared with CT estimated volume. If confirmed in further validations EELVCO2 may become an attractive monitoring option for continuously monitor EELV in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients.Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04045262).

Rapidly improving ARDS differs clinically and biologically from persistent ARDS

BackgroundRapidly improving acute respiratory distress syndrome (RIARDS) is an increasingly appreciated subgroup of ARDS in which hypoxemia improves within 24 h after initiation of mechanical ventilation. Detailed clinical and biological features of RIARDS have not been clearly defined, and it is unknown whether RIARDS is associated with the hypoinflammatory or hyperinflammatory phenotype of ARDS. The purpose of this study was to define the clinical and biological features of RIARDS and its association with inflammatory subphenotypes.MethodsWe analyzed data from 215 patients who met Berlin criteria for ARDS (endotracheally intubated) and were enrolled in a prospective observational cohort conducted at two sites, one tertiary care center and one urban safety net hospital. RIARDS was defined according to previous studies as improvement of hypoxemia defined as (i) PaO2:FiO2 > 300 or (ii) SpO2: FiO2 > 315 on the day following diagnosis of ARDS (day 2) or (iii) unassisted breathing by day 2 and for the next 48 h (defined as absence of endotracheal intubation on day 2 through day 4). Plasma biomarkers were measured on samples collected on the day of study enrollment, and ARDS phenotypes were allocated as previously described.ResultsRIARDS accounted for 21% of all ARDS participants. Patients with RIARDS had better clinical outcomes compared to those with persistent ARDS, with lower hospital mortality (13% vs. 57%; p value < 0.001) and more ICU-free days (median 24 vs. 0; p value < 0.001). Plasma levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 were significantly lower among patients with RIARDS. The hypoinflammatory phenotype of ARDS was more common among patients with RIARDS (78% vs. 51% in persistent ARDS; p value = 0.001).ConclusionsThis study identifies a high prevalence of RIARDS in a multicenter observational cohort and confirms the more benign clinical course of these patients. We report the novel finding that RIARDS is characterized by lower concentrations of plasma biomarkers of inflammation compared to persistent ARDS, and that hypoinflammatory ARDS is more prevalent among patients with RIARDS. Identification and exclusion of RIARDS could potentially improve prognostic and predictive enrichment in clinical trials.

Diagnosis and ventilatory support of ARDS in adults: an international survey

Diagnosis and ventilatory support of ARDS in adults: an international survey

Acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients with COVID-19 vs. Non-COVID-19: clinical characteristics and outcomes in a tertiary care setting in Mexico City

BackgroundAcute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) due tocoronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection has a unique phenotype generating a growing need to determine the existing differences that can alter existing evidence-based management strategies for ARDS. Research Question: What differences does the clinical profile of patients with ARDS due to COVID 19 and Non-COVID 19 have?Study Design and methodsWe conducted a comparative, observational, retrospective study in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)of a third-level hospital in Mexico City, from March 2020 through March 2022. Clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory variables were compared between patients with ARDS due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and those due to other etiologies.ResultsWe enrolled 140 patients with a diagnosis of ARDS. The study group of COVID-19 etiology were younger males, higher body mass index, progressed to organ dysfunction, required more frequently renal replacement therapy, and higher SOFA score. There was no difference in rates of right ventricular dysfunction.InterpretationCOVID-19 ARDS exhibit much greater severity that led to higher admission and mortality rates, whilst being younger and less comorbid.

Role of cardiopulmonary interactions in development of ventilator-induced lung injury-Experimental evidence and clinical Implications.

Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) impacts outcomes in ARDS and optimization of ventilatory strategies improves survival. Decades of research has identified various mechanisms of VILI, largely focusing on airspace forces of plateau pressure, tidal volume and driving pressure. Experimental evidence indicates the role of adverse cardiopulmonary interaction during mechanical ventilation, contributing to VILI genesis mostly by modulating pulmonary vascular dynamics. Under passive mechanical ventilation, high transpulmonary pressure increases afterload on right heart while high pleural pressure reduces the RV preload. Together, they can result in swings of pulmonary vascular flow and pressure. Altered vascular flow and pressure result in increased vascular shearing and wall tension, in turn causing direct microvascular injury accompanied with permeability to water, proteins and cells. Moreover, abrupt decreases in airway pressure, may result in sudden overperfusion of the lung and result in similar microvascular injury, especially when the endothelium is stretched or primed at high positive end-expiratory pressure. Microvascular injury is universal in VILI models and presumed in the diagnosis of ARDS; preventing such microvascular injury can reduce VILI and impact outcomes in ARDS. Consequently, developing cardiovascular targets to reduce macro and microvascular stressors in the pulmonary circulation can potentially reduce VILI. This paper reviews the role of cardiopulmonary interaction in VILI genesis.

Network analysis identifies a gene biomarker panel for sepsis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome

BackgroundAcute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema caused by inflammation, which can lead to serious respiratory complications. Due to the high mortality of ARDS caused by sepsis, biological markers that enable early diagnosis are urgently needed for clinical treatment.MethodsIn the present study, we used the public microarray data of whole blood from patients with sepsis-induced ARDS, patients with sepsis-alone and healthy controls to perform an integrated analysis based on differential expressed genes (DEGs) and co-expression network to identify the key genes and pathways related to the development of sepsis into ARDS that may be key targets for diagnosis and treatment.ResultsCompared with controls, we identified 180 DEGs in the sepsis-alone group and 152 DEGs in the sepsis-induced ARDS group. About 70% of these genes were unique to the two groups. Functional analysis of DEGs showed that neutrophil-mediated inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction are the main features of ARDS induced by sepsis. Gene network analysis identified key modules and screened out key regulatory genes related to ARDS. The key genes and their upstream regulators comprised a gene panel, including EOMES, LTF, CSF1R, HLA-DRA, IRF8 and MPEG1. Compared with the healthy controls, the panel had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.900 and 0.914 for sepsis-alone group and sepsis-induced ARDS group, respectively. The AUC was 0.746 between the sepsis-alone group and sepsis-induced ARDS group. Moreover, the panel of another independent blood transcriptional expression profile dataset showed the AUC was 0.769 in diagnosing sepsis-alone group and sepsis-induced ARDS group.ConclusionsTaken together, our method contributes to the diagnosis of sepsis and sepsis-induced ARDS. The biological pathway involved in this gene biomarker panel may also be a critical target in combating ARDS caused by sepsis.

Risk Factors for Weaning Failure in COVID-19 Patients.

Data on risk factors associated with mechanical ventilation (MV) weaning failure among SARS-CoV2 ARDS patients is limited. We aimed to determine clinical characteristics associated with weaning outcome in SARS-CoV2 ARDS patients under MV. To determine potential risk factors for weaning outcome in patients with SARS-CoV2 ARDS. A retrospective observational study was conducted in the ICUs of four Greek hospitals via review of the electronic medical record for the period 2020-2021. All consecutive adult patients were screened and were included if they fulfilled the following criteria: a) age equal or above 18 years, b) need for MV for more than 48 hours and c) diagnosis of ARDS due to SARS-CoV2 pneumonia or primary or secondary ARDS of other aetiologies. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded for the first 28 days following ICU admission. The primary outcome was weaning success defined as spontaneous ventilation for more than 48 hours. A hundred and fifty eight patients were included; 96 SARS-CoV2 ARDS patients. SOFA score, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and shock were independently associated with the weaning outcome OR(95% CI), 0.86 (0.73-0.99), 0.27 (0.08-0.89) and 0.30 (0.14-0.61), respectively]. When we analysed data from SARS-CoV2 ARDS patients separately, COPD [0.18 (0.03-0.96)] and shock [0.33(0.12 - 0.86)] were independently associated with the weaning outcome. The presence of COPD and shock are potential risk factors for adverse weaning outcome in SARS-CoV2 ARDS patients.

P87: Fracture Of A Dual Lumen Protekduo Cannula With Ventricular Perforation And Tamponade In A Recovery COVID-19 Patient

Background: In the absence of formal registry data anecdotal reports of cannula complications provide the only mechanism of risk assessment in the extended use of short term mechanical circulatory support devices. We report an unrecognized cannula fracture with perforation of the right ventricular apex and subsequent tamponade at the time of de-cannulation. Methods and Results: Patient is a 38 yo AAF with a history of asthma diagnosed with COVID 19 (nasal PCR) and admitted to an OSH with hypoxia (O2 sat 70%) and progressive dyspnea on exertion requiring HFNC and subsequent deployment of a right internal jugular 29 Fr Protek-DUO double lumen cannula with in-line oxygenator for venovenous ECMO respiratory support. After 36 days of VV ECMO support and mechanical ventilation, the patient was transferred with a diagnosis of COVID ARDS for transplant evaluation. Fourteen days post-transfer the patient was ambulatory and no longer required mechanical ventilation. No flow related issues were noted during the entire period of ECMO support (flow 2.8 to 3.4 L/min, delta P 20 mmHg or less, single oxygenator exchange on ECMO day 38). On ECMO day 67 the patients CxR was clear (Figure 1) and the RIJ cannula was removed without complication. Approximately two minutes after cannula removal the patient became unresponsive with tachycardia and hypotension (SBP 60 mmHg) which initially responded to volume resuscitation. With progressive loss of systolic blood pressure chest compressions were started with complete hemodynamic collapse. A transthoracic ECHO suggested tamponade and the chest was opened at the bedside demonstrating a chronic appearing hematoma with blood extravasation at the apex of the right ventricle (Figure 2). Bleeding was controlled with a single prolene stitch. Subsequent examination of the cannula demonstrated a fracture in the wire reinforced cannula at the point where the catheter transitioned from the apical RV into the RVOT (Figure 3). Conclusion: Given the progressive pulmonary hypertension frequently seen with prolonged COVID ECMO support, the RA to PA dual-lumen cannula has proven an effective MCS strategy (1) with survival advantage when compared to standard VV ECMO support (2). The Protek-DUO cannula was not designed for prolonged ambulatory MCS (> 60 days). Given the recent report of a seemingly identical cannula fracture event (3), clinicians should be aware of the potential for cannula fracture over time. Literature Cited (1) Mustafa AK, et al. (2020) ECMO for patients with COVID-19 in severe respiratory failure. JAMA Surg 155(10):990-992. (2) Saeed O, et al (2022) Outcomes by cannulation method for venovenous ECMO during COVID-19: a multicenter retrospective study. 46(8):1659-1668. doi: 10.1111/aor.14213. (3) Odish MF, et al (2022) Fracture right atrial-pulmonary artery cannula (Protek-DUO) in a 164-day extracorporeal membrane oxygenation bridge to lung transplant. doi: 10.1097/MAT.0000000000001879. Online ahead of print.

Impact of Arterial CO2 Retention in Patients With Moderate or Severe ARDS.

Lung-protective ventilation (reduced tidal volume and limited plateau pressure) may lead to CO2 retention. Data about the impact of hypercapnia in patients with ARDS are scarce and conflicting. We performed a non-interventional cohort study with subjects with ARDS admitted from 2006 to 2021 and with PaO2 /FIO2 ≤ 150 mm Hg. We examined the association between severe hypercapnia (PaCO2 ≥ 50 mm Hg) on the first 5 days after the diagnosis of ARDS and death in ICU for 930 subjects. All the subjects received lung-protective ventilation. Severe hypercapnia was noted in 552 subjects (59%) on the first day of ARDS (day 1); 323/930 (34.7%) died in the ICU. Severe hypercapnia on day 1 was associated with mortality in the unadjusted (odds ratio 1.54, 95% CI 1.16-1.63; P = .003) and adjusted (odds ratio 1.47, 95% CI 1.08-2.43; P = .004) models. In the Bayesian analysis, the posterior probability that severe hypercapnia was associated with ICU death was > 90% in 4 different priors, including a septic prior for this association. Sustained severe hypercapnia on day 5, defined as severe hypercapnia present from day 1 to day 5, was noted in 93 subjects (12%). After propensity score matching, severe hypercapnia on day 5 remained associated with ICU mortality (odds ratio 1.73, 95% CI 1.02-2.97; P = .047). Severe hypercapnia was associated with mortality in subjects with ARDS who received lung-protective ventilation. Our results deserve further evaluation of the strategies and treatments that aim to control CO2 retention.

Incidence and implications of atrial fibrillation in patients hospitalized for COVID compared to non-COVID pneumonia: A multicenter cohort study.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been reported to occur with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but whether it is related to myocarditis or lung injury is unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare incident AF in patients with pneumonia/adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with and without COVID. This retrospective multicenter cohort study from 17 hospitals (March 2020 to December 2021) utilizing the University of California COVID Research Data Set (CORDS) included patients aged ≥18 years with primary diagnosis of pneumonia or ARDS during hospitalization. Patients with a history of AF were excluded. All subjects had documented COVID test results. Cohorts were compared using the χ2 test for categorical variables and the Wilcoxon rank test for continuous variables. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between COVID and development of new AF. Of the 39,415 subjects, 12.2% had COVID. The COVID+ cohort consisted predominantly of younger males with more comorbidities. Incident AF was lower in the COVID+ group than in the non-COVID group (523 [10.85%] vs 4899 [14.16%]; odds ratio [OR] 0.74; P <.001), which remained significant after adjustment for demographics and comorbidities (OR 0.71; P <.001). Patients had normal cardiac troponin levels. AF was related to intensive care unit care, pressor support, and mechanical ventilation, and was associated with higher mortality (26.2% vs 10.21%; P <.001) and longer hospitalization (22.5 vs 15.1 days; P <.001) in the COVID+ group compared to the controls. Incident AF is lower in COVID+ compared to non-COVID pneumonia/ARDS patients and seems to be related to severity of illness rather cardiac injury. AF was associated with higher mortality and prolonged hospitalization.

Abstract 9691: Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Hospitalized for COVID Compared to Non-COVID Pneumonia/ARDS

Introduction: Though atrial fibrillation (AF) has been reported with COVID, it is unclear if it is related to myocarditis or lung injury. The aim of this study was to compare incident AF in pneumonia/ARDS with and without COVID. Methods: In this retrospective multicenter cohort study from 17 hospitals (3/2020 to 12/2021) utilizing the University of California COVID Research Data Set (CORDS), we included patients &gt;18 years with primary diagnosis of pneumonia or ARDS during hospitalization by ICD-10. We excluded those with prior AF. Subjects were determined to have COVID based on positive PCR test within 10 days prior or during inpatient admission and compared to a control group with negative PCR test. Clinical data was extracted from electronic medical records. The cohorts were compared using χ2 test for categorical variables and Wilcoxon rank tests for continuous variables. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between COVID and development of new atrial fibrillation. Results: Of the 39,415 subjects, 12.2% had COVID. The COVID+ cohort was younger, had more males, and more co-morbidities. They required more mechanical ventilation, but less ICU care and hemodynamic support (Table 1). Incident AF occurred in 523 (10.85%) of COVID vs 4,899 (14.16%) in the non-COVID group (OR 0.74, p &lt; 0.001), which remained significant after adjustment of demographics and co-morbidities (p &lt; 0.001). AF was associated with higher mortality (26.2% vs. 10.21%, p &lt;0.001) and longer hospitalization (22.5 vs. 15.1 days, p &lt;0.001) in COVID group compared to the controls (Table 2). Conclusions: Incident AF is less in COVID compared to non-COVID pneumonia/ARDS despite requiring more mechanical ventilation, however had higher mortality and prolonged hospitalization.

Thoracic Computed Tomography to Assess ARDS and COVID-19 Lungs.

This review was designed to discuss the role of thoracic-computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation and treatment of patients with ARDS and COVID-19 lung disease. Non-aerated lungs characterize the ARDS lungs, compared to normal lungs in the lowermost lung regions, compressive atelectasis. Heterogenous ARDS lungs have a tomographic vertical gradient characterized by progressively more aerated lung tissues from the gravity-dependent to gravity-independent lungs levels. The application of positive pressure ventilation to these heterogeneous ARDS lungs provides some areas of high shear stress, others of tidal hyperdistension or tidal recruitment that increases the chances of appearance and perpetuation of ventilator-induced lung injury. Other than helping to the correct diagnosis of ARDS, thoracic-computed tomography can help to the adjustments of PEEP, ideal tidal volume, and a better choice of patient position during invasive mechanical ventilation. Thoracic tomography can also help detect possible intra-thoracic complications and in the follow-up of the ARDS patients’ evolution during their hospital stay. In COVID-19 patients, thoracic-computed tomography was the most sensitive imaging technique for diagnosing pulmonary involvement. The most common finding is diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, ranging from ground-glass opacities to parenchymal consolidations, especially in the lower portions of the lungs’ periphery. Tomographic lung volume loss was associated with an increased risk for oxygenation support and patient intubation and the use of invasive mechanical ventilation. Pulmonary dual-energy angio-tomography in COVID-19 patients showed a significant number of pulmonary ischemic areas even in the absence of visible pulmonary arterial thrombosis, which may reflect micro-thrombosis associated with COVID-19 pneumonia. A greater thoracic tomography severity score in ARDS was independently related to poor outcomes.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome readmissions: A nationwide cross-sectional analysis of epidemiology and costs of care.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome affects approximately 10% of patients admitted to intensive care units internationally, with as many as 40%-52% of patients reporting re-hospitalization within one year. To describe the epidemiology of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome who require 30-day readmission, and to describe associated costs. A cross-sectional analysis of the 2016 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Readmission Database, which is a population-based administrative database which includes discharge data from U.S. hospitals. Inclusion criteria: hospital discharge records for adults age > 17 years old, with a diagnosis of ARDS on index admission, with associated procedure codes for endotracheal intubation and/or invasive mechanical ventilation, who were discharged alive. Primary exposure is adult hospitalization for meeting criteria as described. The primary outcome measure is 30-day readmission rate, as well as patient characteristics and time distribution of readmissions. Nationally, 25,170 admissions meeting criteria were identified. Index admission mortality rate was 37.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 36.2-38.8). 15,730 records of those surviving hospitalization had complete discharge information. 30-day readmission rate was 18.4%, with 14% of total readmissions occurring within 2 calendar days of discharge; these early readmissions had higher mortality risk (odds ratio 1.82, 95% CI 1.05-6.56) compared with readmission in subsequent days. For the closest all-cause readmission within 30 days, the mean cost was $26,971, with a total national cost of over $75.6 million. Thirty-day readmission occurred in 18.4% of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome in this sample, and early readmission is strongly associated with increased mortality compared to late readmission. Further research is needed to clarify whether the rehospitalizations or associated mortalities are preventable.

Puntaje radiográfico de evaluación del edema pulmonar (RALE) y su asociación con desenlaces clínicos en el síndrome de dificultad respiratoria aguda en Colombia

IntroductionAcute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is currently the main diagnosis in intensive care units (ICU) and is related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This syndrome increases hospital stay and costs, and has high mortality. Chest radiography is essential in these patients for diagnosis and clinical follow-up, as it is inexpensive and routinely used in the ICU. The RALE score (Radiographic assessment of lung edema) allows the estimation of the extension and density of alveolar opacities in chest radiography and has been associated with different clinical outcomes such as oxygenation, mortality at 28 days, ventilator-free days, hospital stay, and severity of ARDS. The objective of this work is to establish the association of RALE with clinical outcomes in patients with ARDS in our institution. Materials and methodsAmbispective, monocentric cohort study. Adults older than 18 years with a diagnosis of ARDS hospitalized in the ICUs of Hospital Santa Clara, Bogotá, Colombia, from January to December 2020, were included. ResultsThe study included 100 patients, 93% with a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, an association with RALE on the first day was found with oxygenation on the first day of admission, but without finding a statistically significant relationship between RALE and the other outcomes. ConclusionThe RALE score was not associated with relevant clinical outcomes in patients with ARDS. This can be explained by the different mechanisms of hypoxaemia in these patients. Further studies are suggested to confirm these findings.

Use of Bedside Lung Ultrasound in Critically Ill Patients

The importance of ultrasound diagnostics in intensive care units is based on the fact that it is a radiological examination method that does not involve the use of ionizing radiation, can be repeated several times in a short period of time, minimally invasive, simple to carry out, does not involve transporting the patient to the radiology service and enables immediate decision-making on diagnosis and further treatment of the patient. Bedside lung US (bLUS) can reliably identify pneumothorax, consolidation, atelectasis, interstitial syndromes, pleural effusions with a high degree of sensitivity. Experts consider it a reliable tool on the basis of which a clinical decision can be made. Chest radiography is the most commonly used visualization method of examination in intensive care units and is certainly used for the diagnosis of ARDS. Radiography cannot monitor changes in the interstitium in a short period of time but ultrasound can detect more discrete changes in the interstitium, which is important for making the decision to extubate the patient. Bedside lung ultrasound is a simple visualization technique for the detection and characterization of conditions in the lung parenchyma. It can detect pleural effusion, interstitial syndrome, pneumothorax with considerable sensitivity and can be a good prognostic criterion for patient extubation

Biomarkers of Cholestasis and Liver Injury in the Early Phase of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Their Pathophysiological Value.

Background: Impaired liver function and cholestasis are frequent findings in critically ill patients and are associated with poor outcomes. We tested the hypothesis that hypoxic liver injury and hypoxic cholangiocyte injury are detectable very early in patients with ARDS, may depend on the severity of hypoxemia, and may be aggravated by the use of rescue therapies (high PEEP level and prone positioning) but could be attenuated by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Methods: In 70 patients with ARDS, aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), alanin-aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) were measured on the day of the diagnosis of ARDS and three more consecutive days (day 3, day 5, day 10), total bile acids were measured on day 0, 3, and 5. Results: AST levels increased on day 0 and remained constant until day 5, then dropped to normal on day 10 (day 0: 66.5 U/l; day 3: 60.5 U/l; day 5: 63.5 U/l, day 10: 32.1 U/l), ALT levels showed the exact opposite kinetic. GGT was already elevated on day 0 (91.5 U/l) and increased further throughout (day 3: 163.5 U/l, day 5: 213 U/l, day 10: 307 U/l), total bile acids levels increased significantly from day 0 to day 3 (p = 0.019) and day 0 to day 5 (p < 0.001), but not between day 3 and day 5 (p = 0.217). Total bile acids levels were significantly correlated to GGT on day 0 (p < 0.001), day 3 (p = 0.02), and in a trend on day 5 (p = 0.055). PEEP levels were significantly correlated with plasma levels of AST (day 3), ALT (day 5) and GGT (day 10). Biomarker levels were not associated with the use of ECMO, prone position, the cause of ARDS, and paO2. Conclusions: We found no evidence of hypoxic liver injury or hypoxic damage to cholangiocytes being caused by the severity of hypoxemia in ARDS patients during the very early phase of the disease. Additionally, mean PEEP level, prone positioning, and ECMO treatment did not have an impact in this regard. Nevertheless, GGT levels were elevated from day zero and rising, this increase was not related to paO2, prone position, ECMO treatment, or mean PEEP, but correlated to total bile acid levels.

6. Diagnosis and Treatment of ARDS

6. Diagnosis and Treatment of ARDS

High Flow Nasal Cannula for Management of Tuberculous ARDS in Immunocompromised – A Vision or an Illusion

Tuberculosis (TB), although commonly thought to be a chronic pulmonary disease, indeed has protean manifestations. One of its varied acute presentations is Tuberculous ARDS, which is a rare but fatal form of TB with mortality reported as high as 69-80%. Here we report a case of sputum smear-positive MDR miliary tuberculosis with tuberculous ARDS in a patient with AIDS managed with HFNC oxygen therapy. Diagnosis of tuberculosis was based on clinical radiological, microbiological and molecular evidence. The diagnosis of ARDS was established as per Berlin definition. The patient was successfully managed with HFNC oxygen therapy along with second line anti tubercular treatment (ATT) and supportive measures.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the first 500 confirmed COVID-19 inpatients in a tertiary infectious disease referral hospital in Manila, Philippines

BackgroundThe Philippines has been one of the most affected COVID-19 countries in the Western Pacific region, but there are limited data on COVID-19-related mortality and associated factors from this setting. We aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics and associations with mortality among COVID-19-confirmed individuals admitted to an infectious diseases referral hospital in Metro Manila.Main textThis was a single-centre retrospective analysis including the first 500 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 individuals admitted to San Lazaro Hospital, Metro Manila, Philippines, from January to October 2020. We extracted clinical data and examined epidemiological and clinical characteristics and factors associated with in-hospital mortality. Of the 500 individuals, 133 (26.6%) were healthcare workers (HCW) and 367 (73.4%) were non-HCW, with HCW more likely presenting with milder symptoms. Non-HCW admissions were more likely to have at least one underlying disease (51.6% vs. 40.0%; p = 0.002), with hypertension (35.4%), diabetes (17.4%), and tuberculosis (8.2%) being the most common. Sixty-one (12.2%) died, comprising 1 HCW and 60 non-HCW (0.7% vs. 16.3%; p < 0.001). Among the non-HCW, no death occurred for the 0–10 years age group, but deaths were recorded across all other age groups. Compared to those who recovered, individuals who died were more likely to be older (p < 0.001), male (p = 0.015), report difficulty of breathing (p < 0.001), be HIV positive (p = 0.008), be intubated (p < 0.001), categorised as severe or critical (p < 0.001), have a shorter mean hospital stay (p < 0.001), or have an additional diagnosis of pneumonia (p < 0.001) or ARDS (p < 0.001).ConclusionOur analysis reflected significant differences in characteristics, symptomatology, and outcomes between healthcare and non-healthcare workers. Despite the unique mix of cohorts, our results support the country’s national guideline on COVID-19 vaccination which prioritises healthcare workers, the elderly, and people with comorbidities and immunodeficiency states.