Introduction:

Prone positioning (PP) was the most used strategy in patients with COVID-19 and refractory hypoxemia. Our objective was to describe the clinical char acteristics and evolution of patients with severe Covid-19 who required this procedure. Also, to evaluate the relationship between risk factors and mortality.

Materials and methods:

Observational retrospective descriptive study. Patients older than 18 years with COVID-19 under mechanical respiratory assistance (MRA) who required PP were included. Follow-up was carried out for 28 days. Complications associated with PP were recorded. Factors associated with mortality were analyzed using Cox regression.

Results:

PP was applied in 28 patients. The mean age was 52.43 years, and the median Charlson Score was 1 [0.00, 2.00]. The median number of MRA days was 17.00 [IQR, (interquartile range) 13.00, 23.00], and 28.6% of patients managed to be extubated. The median number of days at the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) was 19.50 [IQR 14.00, 23.50], with 53.6% mortality. 35.7% of patients needed 2 PP cycles with a predominant duration of 24-36 hours. 89.4% had pressure ulcers (PUs). Patients who died had spent fewer days at the ICU (16 vs 28; p = 0.006), and only one of them had managed to be extubated (1 vs 7, p = 0.011). No factors associated with mortality were found in the Cox regression.

Conclusion:

the study population consisted predominantly of males, average age close to the fifth decade, with a mortality of approximately 50%. No statistically significant relationship was found between risk factors and mortality.

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