Utility of awake prone positioning with low-dose systemic corticosteroids in coronavirus disease 2019 acute respiratory distress syndrome patients: A case series

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, novel enveloped RNA beta-coronavirus. The clinical manifestations vary from no symptoms to fever, cough, respiratory distress, pneumonia, and adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or uncommonly diarrhea. Typically, the disease has viremic phase, pulmonary phase, and severe host inflammatory phase. Prompt interventions in the first two phases such as awake prone positioning and administration of low-dose corticosteroids can prevent the onset of the third phase of the deadly disease. Awake prone positioning and systemic corticosteroids are simple interventions, which can prevent the requirement of mechanical ventilation and also lead to reduction in the inflammatory response and disease severity. We report a case series of six patients who diagnosed with COVID-19 ARDS and were benefitted by awake prone positioning sessions and low-dose systemic corticosteroid therapy.

Keywords

• acute respiratory distress syndrome
• awake prone positioning
• coronavirus disease 2019
• corticosteroids