Admission criteria in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a physiology-based approach

ABSTRACT Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic required a careful management of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, to reduce ICU overload while facing resources’ limitations. We implemented standardized, physiology-based, ICU admission criteria and analyzed the mortality rate of patients refused from the ICU. Materials and Methods COVID-19 patients proposed for ICU admission were consecutively analyzed; Do-not-resuscitate patients were excluded. Patients presenting a SpO 2 lower than 85% and/or dyspnea and/or mental confusion resulted eligible for ICU admission; patients not presenting these criteria remained in the ward with an intensive monitoring protocol. Primary outcome was both groups’ survival rate. Secondary outcome was a sub analysis correlating SpO 2 cutoff with ICU admission. Results From March 2020 to January 2021, 1623 patients were admitted to our Center; 208 DNR patients were excluded; 97 patients underwent intensivist evaluation. The ICU-admitted group mortality rate resulted 15.9% at 28 days and 27% at 40 days; the ICU-refused group mortality rate resulted 0% at both intervals (p < 0.001). With a SpO 2 cut-off of 92%, the hypoxia rate distribution did not correlate with ICU admission (p = 0.26); with a SpO 2 cut-off of 85%, a correlation was found (p = 0.009). A similar correlation was also found with dyspnea (p =0.0002). Conclusion In COVID-19 patients, standardized ICU admission criteria appeared to reduce safely ICU overload. In the absence of dyspnea and/or confusion, a SpO 2 cutoff up to 85% for ICU admission was not burdened by negative outcomes. In a pandemic context, the SpO 2 cutoff of 92%, as a threshold for ICU admission, needs critical re-evaluation.