Mortality in Patients With Severe SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia Who Underwent Tracheostomy Due to Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation

Background: Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in COVID-19 patients has been associated with a high mortality rate. In this context, the utility of tracheostomy has been questioned in this group of ill patients. This study aims to compare in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients with and without tracheostomy due to prolonged IMV Methods: Cohort study of adult COVID-19 patients subjected to prolonged IMV. Since the first COVID-19 case (March 3, 2020) up to November 30, 2020, all adult critical patients supported with IMV by 10 days or more at the Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile will be included in the cohort. Pregnant women and non-adult patients will be excluded. Baseline characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory data, disease severity, and ventilatory support will be retrospectively collected from clinical records. The indication of tracheostomy, as part of our standard of care, will be indicated by a team of specialists in intensive care medicine, following national guidelines, and consented to by the patient's family. The 90-days mortality rate will be the primary outcome, whereas IMV days, hospital/CU length of stay, and the frequency of healthcare-associated infections will be the secondary outcomes. Also, a follow-up interview will be performed one year after a hospital discharged in order to assess the vital status and quality of life.

The mortality of patients subjected to tracheostomy will be compared with the group of patients without tracheostomy by logistic regression models. Furthermore, propensity-score methods will be performed as a complementary analysis.