Clinical characteristics and results of discharge and death of critically ill adults with COVID-19: a retrospective observational cohort study

Abstract

Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) as a supportive care can be vital for maintaining the respiratory function of those who develop severe respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Observational retrospective cohort study with a quantitative approach carried out with data from an official electronic platform for recording in two public hospitals in the state of Paraíba patients with confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2. To describe clinical characteristics of critically ill patients with COVID-19 and associate the outcome with discharge and death. The sample consisted of 81 patients with COVID-19 admitted between March and December 2020. Demographic, clinical, respiratory support, oxygen therapy, adjuvant measures, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and survival were collected. Data were tabulated in Excel software and spent in SPSS software, version 26.0, using descriptive and inferential statistics. Revealed that the average age of participants was 61.6 years; 58.0% of the individuals were male, 88.9% had comorbidities, 87.7% were admitted to the ICU and IMV was used in 56.8%. Age over 60 years and use of IMV support are highly associated with patient death. Age between 18 and 59 years and the use of oxygen therapy are associated with discharge. Patients with COVID-19 who evolved critically and required IMV were associated with increased mortality. Mortality was higher in older patients, with need for ICU, comorbidities and with a lower PaO2/FiO2 ratio.

Keywords

• COVID-19; invasive mechanical ventilation; acute respiratory failure; mortality risk fator.