PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Stephen Su Yang
AU  - Jed Lipes
AU  - Sandra Dial
AU  - Blair Schwartz
AU  - Denny Laporta
AU  - Evan Wong
AU  - Craig Baldry
AU  - Paul Warshawsky
AU  - Patricia McMillan
AU  - David Hornstein
AU  - Michel de Marchie
AU  - Dev Jayaraman
TI  - Outcomes and clinical practice in patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit in Montréal, Canada: a descriptive analysis
AID  - 10.9778/cmajo.20200159
DP  - 2020 Oct 01
TA  - CMAJ Open
PG  - E788--E795
VI  - 8
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.cmajopen.ca/content/8/4/E788.short
4100  - http://www.cmajopen.ca/content/8/4/E788.full
SO  - CMAJ2020 Oct 01; 8
AB  - Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is responsible for millions of infections worldwide, and a substantial number of these patients will be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Our objective was to describe the characteristics, outcomes and management of critically ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia at a single designated pandemic centre in Montréal, Canada.Methods: A descriptive analysis was performed on consecutive critically ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to the ICU at the Jewish General Hospital, a designated pandemic centre in Montréal, between Mar. 5 and May 21, 2020. Complete follow-up data corresponding to death or discharge from hospital health records were included to Aug. 4, 2020. We summarized baseline characteristics, management and outcomes, including mortality.Results: A total of 106 patients were included in this study. Twenty-one patients (19.8%) died during their hospital stay, and the ICU mortality was 17.0% (18/106); all patients were discharged home or died, except for 4 patients (2 awaiting a rehabilitation bed and 2 awaiting long-term care). Twelve of 65 patients (18.5%) requiring mechanical ventilation died. Prone positioning was used in 29 patients (27.4%), including in 10 patients who were spontaneously breathing; no patient was placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. High-flow nasal cannula was used in 51 patients (48.1%). Acute kidney injury was the most common complication, seen in 20 patients (18.9%), and 12 patients (11.3%) required renal replacement therapy. A total of 53 patients (50.0%) received corticosteroids.Interpretation: Our cohort of critically ill patients with COVID-19 had lower mortality than that previously described in other jurisdictions. These findings may help guide critical care decision-making in similar health care systems in further COVID-19 surges.