Steroid exposure and outcome in COVID-19 pneumonia
Authors' conclusion
Corticosteroid exposure increased with the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia. Pulsed dose steroids were used more frequently in patients receiving greater respiratory support.
Study context
- Population
- Adult ICU patients who received systemic corticosteroids for COVID-19 pneumonia, March 2020–March 2021
- Participants
- 362 patients
- Exposure
- Corticosteroid exposure by highest level of respiratory support
- Outcome
- Dexamethasone-equivalent exposure
Methodological detailssingle-centre
- Single-centre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | IMV | ECMO |
|---|---|---|
| Pulsed steroids | 26% | 48% |
90-day mortality
- 90-day mortality, HFNO/CPAP vs invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) vs extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
- 9% vs 27% vs 37%
- P
- P = 0.002
Age
- Median (IQR) age, HFNO/CPAP vs IMV vs ECMO (yr)
- 61 (54-71) vs 58 (50-66) vs 46 (38-53)
- P
- P < 0.001
APACHE II score
- Median (IQR) APACHE II, HFNO/CPAP vs IMV vs ECMO
- 12 (9-15) vs 14 (12-18) vs 15 (12-17)
- P
- P = 0.006
Lowest PaO2/FiO2 ratio
- Median (IQR) lowest PaO2/FiO2, HFNO/CPAP vs IMV vs ECMO (kPa)
- 15.1 (11.8-21.7) vs 15.1 (10.7-22.2) vs 9.5 (7.9-10.9)
- P
- P < 0.001
Pulsed steroids
- Higher disease severity with pulse steroids: higher 90-day mortality
Original publication
Steroid exposure and outcome in COVID-19 pneumonia. BJA Open. Published 31 January 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →