COVID-19 tied to higher risk of barotrauma in ventilated patients
But one ICU doctor treating coronavirus patients says findings need replication
COVID-19 infection is associated with a higher risk of barotrauma during invasive mechanical ventilation, according to a retrospective study.
US doctors analysed clinical and imaging data from 601 COVID-19 patients (mean age 63, 71% men) in March and April who required invasive mechanical ventilation.
They compared this group to patients without COVID-19 during the same period and to a historical cohort of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) from 2016-20.
As reported in Radiology, 89 patients with COVID-19 patients (15%) had at least one barotrauma event, with 145 events in total.
