Intubation Versus Tracheotomy Outcomes in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients in Low-Resource Settings: What Do We Know?

Publication date: Feb 03, 2025

Background: Patients undergoing prolonged mechanical ventilation commonly require tracheotomy. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of tracheotomy for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with COVID-19 in low-resource settings. Methods: A retrospective, single-center, observational cohort study was performed on patients with ARDS associated with COVID-19. Patients who underwent intubation alone were compared with those who received both intubation and subsequent tracheotomy. The analysis included patient demographics, comorbidities, and outcomes. Results: Patients undergoing tracheotomy (n = 89) were compared with intubated patients (n = 622). The median time from intubation to tracheotomy was 10 days (IQR: 6-15 days). Overall, 608 patients (85. 5%) died in the hospital. Thirty-seven patients (35. 9%) in the survival group had tracheostomy compared with fifty-two patients (8. 5%) in the non-survival group (p < 0. 001). The Kaplan-Meier curve shows a higher probability of survival in the tracheotomy group compared with the non-tracheotomy group (log-rank test: p < 0. 001). Tracheotomy was found to be independently associated with lower in-hospital mortality (HR = 0. 16 [95% CI: 0. 11-0. 23], p < 0. 001) in the multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Furthermore, tracheotomy was associated with a higher cumulative incidence of being alive and off the ventilator at day 28 (SHR = 2. 87 [95% CI: 1. 88-4. 38], p < 0. 001). Conclusions: Tracheotomy was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality and longer ventilator-free days.

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Concepts Keywords
Free ARDS
Mortality COVID-19
Tracheostomy mechanical ventilation
Ventilator percutaneous tracheotomy
ventilator-free day

Semantics

Type Source Name
disease MESH Critically Ill
disease MESH COVID-19
disease MESH acute respiratory distress syndrome
drug DRUGBANK Coenzyme M
disease MESH lung injury
disease MESH hypoxia
disease MESH pulmonary edema
drug DRUGBANK Trestolone
disease MESH viral infections
disease MESH influenza
disease MESH weaning
disease MESH complications
disease MESH infections
disease IDO site
disease IDO entity
disease IDO infection
disease MESH death
disease IDO facility
disease MESH malignancy
drug DRUGBANK Fibrinogen Human
drug DRUGBANK Tocilizumab
disease MESH pneumothorax
disease MESH heart failure
disease MESH lung disease
disease MESH liver disease
disease MESH Chronic kidney disease
disease MESH Obesity
drug DRUGBANK Methylprednisolone
drug DRUGBANK Dexamethasone
disease MESH Acute kidney injury

Original Article

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