Almitrine and COVID-19 Related Hypoxemia

The clinical presentation of COVID-19 disease is heterogenous, ranging from no symptoms to severe acute respiratory failure (ARF), which may have a poor prognosis. A severe hypoxemia is associated with preserved respiratory mechanical properties, in particular the pulmonary system compliance. The hypoxia during the early phase seems to mainly result from an important ventilation/perfusion (VA/Q) mismatch associated with an altered pulmonary vasoconstriction. The "protective" mechanism called hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) normally reduces the blood flow in poorly or non-ventilated areas towards aerated zones leading to reduce the (VA/Q) mismatch. HPV seems poorly functional in COVID-19 severe patients in absence of "cor pulmonale". According to the French National agency for Drug Security (ANSM, Paris, France), only iv almitrine is indicated for hypoxic acute respiratory failure as Drug of Major Therapeutic Interest. This molecule is a routine option in the treatment strategy of severe hypoxemia. The investigators studied COVID-19 patients mechanically ventilated at FiO2 1 with a severe intrapulmonary shunt during their early phase. The emergency conditions and the acute high inflow of patients to ICU impeded the design of a randomized control trial. To eliminate the eventuality of a spontaneous evolution of hypoxia, these patients will be compared with control-matched COVID patients treated conventionally.