Extended Prone Position Duration COVID-19-related ARDS: a Retrospective Study

Prone position (PP) is standard of care for mechanically ventilated patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome in the intensive care unit (ICU). Recommendations suggest PP durations of at least 16 hours. In 2020, COVID-19 pandemic led to a great number of patients requiring mechanical ventilation and PP in the ICU. Risk of ICU staff viral contamination and work overload led to prolongation of PP duration up to 48 hours. Here investigators report outcomes of prolonged PP sessions in terms of skin complications (pression injuries) and ventilatory improvement.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe condition in which diffuse ventilation/perfusion mismatching and intra-pulmonary shunt are responsible for profound hypoxemia. In patients with severe ARDS, prone position (PP) improves oxygenation and reduces mortality. Recommendations suggest that PP sessions should last at least 16 consecutive hours. Safety concern is mainly related to the risk of pressure injuries. In 2020, COVID-19 pandemic led to a great number of patients requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) and PP in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) worldwide. In the ICU of Louis Mourier hospital (Colombes, France) investigators decided upon a strategy whereby PP sessions duration was extended up to 48 hours in patients with COVID-19-related ARDS, so as to minimize the number and workload of turning procedures, limit staff exposure to viral contamination, and avoid turning patients during night shifts. Here, investigators aim to report incidence of skin complications (pression injuries) in patients who underwent at least one prolonged PP session. Secondary objective was to evaluate evolution of ventilatory parameters with prolonged PP sessions.