TY - JOUR T1 - Outcomes and characteristics of COVID-19 patients treated with CPAP/ HFNO outside of the intensive care setting JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.00318-2021 SP - 00318-2021 AU - Dominic L Sykes AU - Michael G Crooks AU - Khaing Thu Thu AU - Oliver I Brown AU - Theodore J p Tyrer AU - Jodie Rennardson AU - Catherine Littlefield AU - Shoaib Faruqi Y1 - 2021/01/01 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/early/2021/07/08/23120541.00318-2021.abstract N2 - Background Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and High Flow Nasal Oxygen (HFNO) have been used to manage hypoxaemic respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia. Limited data are available for patients treated with non-invasive respiratory support outside of the intensive care setting.Methods In this single-centre observational study we observed the characteristics, physiological observations, laboratory tests, and outcomes of all consecutive patients with COVID-19 pneumonia between April 2020 and March 2021 treated with non-invasive respiratory support outside of the intensive care setting.Results We report the outcomes of 140 patients (Mean Age=71.2 [sd=11.1], 65% Male [n=91]) treated with CPAP/HFNO outside of the intensive care setting. Overall mortality was 59% and was higher in those deemed unsuitable for mechanical ventilation (72%). The mean age of survivors was significantly lower than those who died (66.1 versus 74.4 years, p<0.001). Those who survived their admission also had a significantly lower median Clinical Frailty Score than the non-survivor group (2 versus 4, p<0.001). We report no significant difference in mortality between those treated with CPAP (n=92, mortality: 60%) or HFNO (n=48, mortality: 56%). Treatment was well tolerated in 86% of patients receiving either CPAP or HFNO.Conclusions CPAP and HFNO delivered outside of the intensive care setting are viable treatment options for patients with hypoxaemic respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia, including those considered unsuitable for invasive mechanical ventilation. This provides an opportunity to safeguard intensive care capacity for COVID-19 patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation.FootnotesThis manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research. It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article.Conflict of interest: Dr. Sykes has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Crooks has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Thu Thu has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Brown has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Tyrer has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Rennardson has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Littlefield has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Faruqi has nothing to disclose. ER -