Impact of COVID-19 on the association between pulse oximetry and arterial oxygenation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Managing patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requires frequent changes in mechanical ventilator respiratory settings to optimize arterial oxygenation assessed by arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO) and saturation (SaO). Pulse oxymetry (SpO) has been suggested as a non-invasive surrogate for arterial oxygenation however its accuracy in COVID-19 patients is unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the influence of COVID-19 status on the association between SpO and arterial oxygenation.

Use of Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Critically-Ill Patients With COVID-19.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is associated with high mortality. It has been suggested that venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was suitable in this indication, albeit the effects of ECMO on the mechanical respiratory parameters have been scarcely described. In this case-series, we prospectively described the use of venovenous ECMO and its effects on mechanical respiratory parameters in eleven COVID-19 patients with severe ARDS.

Characteristics of Cardiac Injury in Critically Ill Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Background: Cardiac injury has been reported in up to 30% of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. However, cardiac injury is defined mainly by troponin elevation without description of associated structural abnormalities and its time course has not been studied.

Research Question: What are the ECG and echocardiographic abnormalities as well as their time course in critically ill COVID-19 patients?

Study Design And Methods: The cardiac function of 43 consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to two ICUs was assessed prospectively and repeatedly, combining ECG, cardiac biomarker, and transthoracic echocardiographic analyses from ICU admission to ICU discharge or death or to a maximum follow-up of 14 days.

Severe metabolic acidosis after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: risk factors and association with outcome.

Background: Metabolic acidosis is frequently observed as a consequence of global ischemia-reperfusion after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We aimed to identify risk factors and assess the impact of metabolic acidosis on outcome after OHCA.

Methods: We included all consecutive OHCA patients admitted between 2007 and 2012.