Clinical characteristics and prognosis of COVID-19 patients with tracheal intubation

This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and prognosis of COVID-19 patients who received tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. A total of 52 critical COVID-19 patients who received tracheal intubation were retrospectively included. The primary data including clinical features, laboratory results, and the outcomes were collected and analyzed. Among the 52 patients who received tracheal intubation, 14 were successfully extubated within two weeks and 38 failed extubation. The patients in the extubation failure group were significantly older than the patients in the successful extubation group (median age, 67.50 years vs 55.50 years). The median values of SpO2 and the PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) before tracheal intubation were significantly lower in extubation failure group than the those in successful extubation group (SpO2: 78.50% vs 85%, P/F: 71.50 mmHg vs 84.50 mmHg). Compared with the successful extubation group, the extubation failure group was found to have a significantly lower 28-day survival rate (21.05% vs 100%). Patients with extubation failure had more severe multi-organ injuries. Besides, a more severe hypoxia level was found to be associated with the failure of extubation and subsequent poor prognosis. Therefore, tracheal intubation and timely invasive mechanical ventilation should be administered in COVID-19 patients with refractory hypoxemia.