Clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID19 patients admitted in Catalan ICUs (UCIsCAT study group)

Introduction: COVID19 pandemic and the consequent surge of patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure has been challenging for intensive care departments around the globe Objectives: To describe the main clinical charateristics and ICU outcomes in a cohort of adult patients with severe acute hypoxemic respiratory failure due to COVID19 admitted between 15 March and 15 April in the ICU Catalan network Methods: Consecutive patients admitted between 15 March and 15 April in 26 ICUs, who tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 (RT-PCR in a nasopharingeal swab) and had severe acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (need of at least 10 L/min oxygen flow to keep an oxygen arterial saturation -pulsioximeter- above 90%, and presenting with bilateral infiltrates in the chest X-ray) Demographic and relevant clinical and physiological data were colected within the first 24h of ICU admission Follow-up time was til ICU discharge Study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the the coordinating center (Hospital Universitari de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau) Results: A total of 1704 patients (1187 men and 517 women) were admitted Median age was 63 yr (IQR 54-70) and median BMI was 28 kg/m2 (IQR 26-32) Most frequent comorbidities were cardiovascular conditions (n = 480), diabetes (n = 90), cancer/immunosuppression (n = 74) and COPD (n = 31) ICU mortality was 505/1704 (29,6%) Among patients who required invasive mechanical ventilation (82% of the cohort), ICU mortality was 35% (491/1388) ICU mortality very much differed between patients up to 60 yr (n = 705) and older than 60 yr (n = 999): 12,8% (90/705) and 41,5% (415/999) respectively, p < 0 001 The median length of ICU stay was 13 days (IQR 7-25) Conclusion: COVID19 severe hypoxemic respiratory failure mainly affects men, the vast majority will require invasive mechanical ventilation for a long period of time and the overall mortality is substantial People older than 60 yr have a dismal prognosis (Table Presented)