Background Awake prone position is an emerging rescue therapy applied in patients undergoing noninvasive ventilation (NIV) for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (ARF) related to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Although applied to stabilize respiratory status, in awake patients, the application of prone position may reduce comfort with a consequent increase in the workload imposed on respiratory muscles. Thus, we primarily ascertained the effect of awake prone position on diaphragmatic thickening fraction, assessed through ultrasound, in COVID-19 patients undergoing NIV. Methods We enrolled all COVID-19 adult critically ill patients, admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) for hypoxemic ARF and undergoing NIV, deserving of awake prone positioning as a rescue therapy. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy and any contraindication to awake prone position and NIV. On ICU admission, after NIV onset, in supine position, and at 1 h following awake prone position application, diaphragmatic thickening fraction was obtained on the right side. Across all the study phases, NIV was maintained with the same setting present at study entry. Vital signs were monitored throughout the entire study period. Comfort was assessed through numerical rating scale (0 the worst comfort and 10 the highest comfort level). Data were presented in median and 25th–75th percentile range. Results From February to May 2021, 20 patients were enrolled and finally analyzed. Despite peripheral oxygen saturation improvement [96 (94–97)% supine vs 98 (96–99)% prone, p = 0.008], turning to prone position induced a worsening in comfort score from 7.0 (6.0–8.0) to 6.0 (5.0–7.0) (p = 0.012) and an increase in diaphragmatic thickening fraction from 33.3 (25.7–40.5)% to 41.5 (29.8–50.0)% (p = 0.025). Conclusions In our COVID-19 patients assisted by NIV in ICU, the application of awake prone position improved the oxygenation at the expense of a greater diaphragmatic thickening fraction compared to supine position. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT04904731. Registered on 05/25/2021, retrospectively registered. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04904731.

Advanced respiratory monitoring involves several mini- or noninvasive tools, applicable at bedside, focused on assessing lung aeration and morphology, lung recruitment and overdistention, ventilation–perfusion distribution, inspiratory effort, respiratory drive, respiratory muscle contraction, and patient–ventilator asynchrony, in dealing with acute respiratory failure. Compared to a conventional approach, advanced respiratory monitoring has the potential to provide more insights into the pathologic modifications of lung aeration induced by the underlying disease, follow the response to therapies, and support clinicians in setting up a respiratory support strategy aimed at protecting the lung and respiratory muscles. Thus, in the clinical management of the acute respiratory failure, advanced respiratory monitoring could play a key role when a therapeutic strategy, relying on individualization of the treatments, is adopted.

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has been shown to be effective in avoiding intubation and improving survival in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (ARF) when compared to conventional oxygen therapy. However, NIV is associated with high failure rates due, in most cases, to patient discomfort. Therefore, increasing attention has been paid to all those interventions aimed at enhancing patient's tolerance to NIV. Several practical aspects have been considered to improve patient adaptation. In particular, the choice of the interface and the ventilatory setting adopted for NIV play a key role in the success of respiratory assistance. Among the different NIV interfaces, tolerance is poorest for the nasal and oronasal masks, while helmet appears to be better tolerated, resulting in longer use and lower NIV failure rates. The choice of fixing system also significantly affects patient comfort due to pain and possible pressure ulcers related to the device. The ventilatory setting adopted for NIV is associated with varying degrees of patient comfort: patients are more comfortable with pressure-support ventilation (PSV) than controlled ventilation. Furthermore, the use of electrical activity of the diaphragm (EADi)-driven ventilation has been demonstrated to improve patient comfort when compared to PSV, while reducing neural drive and effort. If non-pharmacological remedies fail, sedation can be employed to improve patient's tolerance to NIV. Sedation facilitates ventilation, reduces anxiety, promotes sleep, and modulates physiological responses to stress. Judicious use of sedation may be an option to increase the chances of success in some patients at risk for intubation because of NIV intolerance consequent to pain, discomfort, claustrophobia, or agitation. During the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, NIV has been extensively employed to face off the massive request for ventilatory assistance. Prone positioning in non-intubated awake COVID-19 patients may improve oxygenation, reduce work of breathing, and, possibly, prevent intubation. Despite these advantages, maintaining prone position can be particularly challenging because poor comfort has been described as the main cause of prone position discontinuation. In conclusion, comfort is one of the major determinants of NIV success. All the strategies aimed to increase comfort during NIV should be pursued.

Background This single-center preliminary prospective observational study used bedside ultrasound to assess the lung aeration modifications induced by recruitment maneuver and pronation in intubated patients with acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS) related to coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19). All adult intubated COVID-19 patients suitable for pronation were screened. After enrollment, patients underwent 1 h in a volume-controlled mode in supine position (baseline) followed by a 35-cmH2O-recruitment maneuver of 2 min (recruitment). Final step involved volume-controlled mode in prone position set as at baseline (pronation). At the end of the first two steps and 1 h after pronation, a lung ultrasound was performed, and global and regional lung ultrasound score (LUS) were analyzed. Data sets are presented as a median and 25th–75th percentile. Results From January to May 2022, 20 patients were included and analyzed. Global LUS reduced from 26.5 (23.5–30.0) at baseline to 21.5 (18.0–23.3) and 23.0 (21.0–26.3) at recruitment (p < 0.001) and pronation (p = 0.004). In the anterior lung regions, the regional LUS were 1.8 (1.1–2.0) following recruitment and 2.0 (1.6–2.2) in the supine (p = 0.008) and 2.0 (1.8–2.3) in prone position (p = 0.023). Regional LUS diminished from 2.3 (2.0–2.5) in supine to 2.0 (1.8–2.0) with recruitment in the lateral lung zones (p = 0.036). Finally, in the posterior lung units, regional LUS improved from 2.5 (2.3–2.8) in supine to 2.3 (1.8–2.5) through recruitment (p = 0.003) and 1.8 (1.3–2.2) with pronation (p < 0.0001). Conclusions In our investigation, recruitment maneuver and prone positioning demonstrated an enhancement in lung aeration when compared to supine position, as assessed by bedside lung ultrasound. Trial registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov, Number NCT05209477, prospectively registered and released on 01/26/2022.

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BACKGROUND Noninvasive respiratory support (NIRS) has been revealed feasible solutions to cope with the massive request for ventilatory support in patients subjected to ‘do-not-intubate’ order (DNI). OBJECTIVES The aims of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate pooled incidence of DNI orders and the associated in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing NIRS for hypoxaemic acute respiratory failure (ARF) related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). DESIGN Systematic review of observational studies and randomized-controlled trials with meta-analyses DATA SOURCES PUBMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane Controlled Clinical trials register were searched for observational studies and randomised-controlled trials from inception to the end of April 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Inclusion criteria were: observational studies enrolling ≥50 hospitalised patients with hypoxaemic COVID-19-related ARF requiring NIRS and DNI order application. Two authors independently extracted data from enrolled investigations. Data are presented as proportions with 95% confidence interval. RESULTS Thirty-one observational studies were included for a total of 6645 COVID-19 patients undergoing NIRS, of whom 1590 received DNI orders. Among patients assisted by NIRS, a DNI order was expressed in a summary estimate of 25.4% [20.0–31.1] of the cases with a high between-study heterogeneity. The summary estimated of in-hospital mortality was 83.6% [75.3–90.7] for DNI patients and 20.0% [14.2–26.5] for full treatment patients, both with a high between-study heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS In COVID-19 patients assisted through NIRS for hypoxaemic ARF, a DNI order was frequently issued and associated with a high in-hospital mortality TRIAL REGISTRATION Prospero registration number: CRD42021271313.

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Purpose of reviewDo-not-intubate (DNI) orders are more frequently encountered over time. This widespread diffusion of DNI orders make it essential to develop therapeutic strategies matching patient's and his family willingness. The present review sheds light on the therapeutic approaches employed to support respiratory function of patients with DNI orders.Recent findingsIn DNI patients, several approaches have been described to relieve dyspnoea and address acute respiratory failure (ARF). Despite its extensive use, supplemental oxygen is not so useful in assuring dyspnoea relief. Noninvasive respiratory support (NIRS) is frequently employed to treat ARF in DNI patients. Also, to enhance DNI patients comfort during NIRS, it is worthy to point out the role of analgo-sedative medications. Lastly, a particular aspect concerns the first waves of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, when DNI orders have been pursued on factors unrelated to patient's wishes, in the total absence of family support due to the lockdown policy. In this setting, NIRS has been extensively employed in DNI patients with a survival rate of around 20%.SummaryIn dealing with DNI patients, the individualization of treatments is of pivotal importance to respect patient's preferences and improve quality of life at the same time.