Surviving 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia: A successful critical case report.
Lei Zou, Jiakui Sun, Ying Liu and 4 others
PMID 32861887WHAT IT FOUND
A critically ill man with COVID-19 survived after oxygen, ganciclovir, cefamandole, mechanical ventilation, prone ventilation, ultrasound-guided fluid monitoring, diuretics, dobutamine and high-flow nasal oxygen.
This case report is not proof that any single treatment worked.
Key findings
01The patient developed acute respiratory failure and moderate ARDS requiring emergency intubation.
02Prone ventilation was performed for 16 hours daily for four days, but by day four oxygenation did not increase more.
03Oxygenation improved and pulmonary artery pressure fell after the treatment regimen was adjusted to include diuretics and dobutamine.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a single case report, so it cannot show that the treatments worked. The patient received several treatments together, including oxygen, ganciclovir, cefamandole, mechanical ventilation, prone ventilation, diuretics, dobutamine and high-flow nasal oxygen, so their separate effects cannot be judged. There was no control group or comparison group. The paper reports discharge on day 34 with intermittent exertional dyspnea, but no longer-term functional outcome. The report does not say which professions delivered each care task.
Declared interests
The authors declared no relevant conflicts of interest. The supplied text does not state a funder.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that any single treatment caused recovery. The patient received oxygen, ganciclovir, cefamandole, mechanical ventilation, prone ventilation, diuretics, dobutamine and high-flow nasal oxygen, and the paper cannot separate their effects.