CPAP may do away with need for ventilation in COVID-19 patients: BMJ

UK: The administration of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may help in avoiding mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 patients, a recent study has found. Results of the study are significant as CPAP is less invasive and less costly than invasive ventilation.

According to the study, published in the journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research, CPAP administration outside ICU or high dependency unit environment helped in avoiding mechanical ventilation in 58% of the patients. Further, 79% (19 out of 24) patients survived and were discharged.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected over 10 million people worldwide. 5% of the patients become seriously unwell and of this 20-30 % require critical care support. CPAP is a potential supportive treatment for patients in type 1 respiratory failure. But there are some concerns about its use in COVID-19 including the risk of lung barotrauma and increased SARS-CoV-2 aerosolization. However, with early anecdotal experience, the newer guidelines are suggesting CPAP as an option for care sans any evidence for its efficacy. To address this knowledge gap, Rebecca Nightingale, Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK, and colleagues presented a case series to describe and evaluate their experience of CPAP for the treatment of type 1 respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients.