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We aimed to evaluate the ability of parasternal intercostal thickening fraction (PIC TF) to predict the need for mechanical ventilation, and survival in subjects with severe Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). This prospective observational study included adult subjects with severe COVID-19. The following data were collected within 12 h of admission: PIC TF, respiratory rate oxygenation index, $${{{\text{P}}_{{{\text{aO}}_{{\text{2}}} }} } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{{\text{P}}_{{{\text{aO}}_{{\text{2}}} }} } {{\text{F}}_{{{\text{iO}}_{{\text{2}}} }} }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {{\text{F}}_{{{\text{iO}}_{{\text{2}}} }} }}$$ P aO 2 / F iO 2 ratio, chest CT, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score. The ability of PIC TF to predict the need for ventilatory support (primary outcome) and a composite of invasive mechanical ventilation and/or 30-days mortality were performed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) analysis. Multivariate analysis was done to identify the independent predictors for the outcomes. Fifty subjects were available for the final evaluation. The AUC (95% confidence interval [CI]) for the right and left PIC TF ability to predict the need for ventilator support was 0.94 (0.83–0.99), 0.94 (0.84–0.99), respectively, with a cut off value of > 8.3% and positive predictive value of 90–100%. The AUC for the right and left PIC TF to predict invasive mechanical ventilation and/or 30 days mortality was 0.95 (0.85–0.99) and 0.90 (0.78–0.97), respectively. In the multivariate analysis, only the PIC TF was found to independently predict invasive mechanical ventilation and/or 30-days mortality. In subjects with severe COVID-19, PIC TF of 8.3% can predict the need to ventilatory support with a positive predictive value of 90–100%. PIC TF is an independent risk factor for the need for invasive mechanical ventilation and/or 30-days mortality.

Norepinephrine has been recently introduced for prophylaxis against postspinal hypotension during cesarean delivery; however, no data are available regarding its optimum dose. The objective of this study is to compare three infusion rates of norepinephrine for prophylaxis against postspinal hypotension during cesarean delivery.The authors conducted a double-blinded, randomized, controlled study including full-term pregnant women scheduled for cesarean delivery. Norepinephrine infusion was commenced after subarachnoid block. Patients were randomized into three groups, which received norepinephrine with starting infusion rates of 0.025 μg · kg(-1) · min(-1), 0.050 μg · kg(-1) · min(-1), and 0.075 μg · kg(-1) · min(-1). Infusion was stopped when intraoperative hypertension occurred. The primary outcome was the frequency of postspinal hypotension (defined as decreased systolic blood pressure less than 80% of the baseline reading). The three groups were compared according to the following: systolic blood pressure, heart rate, frequency of intraoperative hypertension, frequency of bradycardia, and neonatal outcomes.Two hundred eighty-four mothers were included in the analysis. The frequency of postspinal hypotension was lower for both the 0.050-μg · kg(-1) · min(-1) dose group (23/93 [24.7%], odds ratio: 0.45 [95% CI: 0.24 to 0.82], P = 0.014) and the 0.075-μg · kg(-1) · min(-1) dose group (25/96 [26.0%], odds ratio: 0.48 [95% CI:0.26 to 0.89], P = 0.022) compared with the 0.025-μg · kg(-1) · min(-1) dose group (40/95 [42.1%]). The two higher-dose groups (the 0.050-μg · kg(-1) · min(-1) group and the 0.075-μg · kg(-1) · min(-1) group) had higher systolic blood pressure and lower heart rate compared with the 0.025 μg · kg(-1) · min(-1) group. The three groups were comparable in the frequency of intraoperative hypertension, incidence of bradycardia, and neonatal outcomes.Both the 0.050-μg · kg(-1) · min(-1) and 0.075-μg · kg(-1) · min(-1) norepinephrine infusion rates effectively reduced postspinal hypotension during cesarean delivery compared with the 0.025-μg · kg(-1) · min(-1) infusion rate.

EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE What We Already Know about This Topic Hypotension after spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery is common, usually treated with phenylephrine or ephedrine Norepinephrine was recently introduced in obstetric anesthesia but the optimal dose is unknown What This Article Tells Us That Is New This randomized, double-blinded trial compared prophylactic norepinephrine infusions of 0.025, 0.050, or 0.075 μg · kg-1 · min-1, started after bupivacaine spinal anesthesia, in full-term parturients having elective cesarean delivery The primary outcome, maternal hypotension (systolic blood pressure less than 80% of baseline), occurred less frequently after both 0.050 and 0.075 μg · kg-1 · min-1 compared 0.025 μg · kg-1 · min-1 norepinephrine Background Norepinephrine has been recently introduced for prophylaxis against postspinal hypotension during cesarean delivery; however, no data are available regarding its optimum dose. The objective of this study is to compare three infusion rates of norepinephrine for prophylaxis against postspinal hypotension during cesarean delivery. Methods The authors conducted a double-blinded, randomized, controlled study including full-term pregnant women scheduled for cesarean delivery. Norepinephrine infusion was commenced after subarachnoid block. Patients were randomized into three groups, which received norepinephrine with starting infusion rates of 0.025 μg · kg-1 · min-1, 0.050 μg · kg-1 · min-1, and 0.075 μg · kg-1 · min-1. Infusion was stopped when intraoperative hypertension occurred. The primary outcome was the frequency of postspinal hypotension (defined as decreased systolic blood pressure less than 80% of the baseline reading). The three groups were compared according to the following: systolic blood pressure, heart rate, frequency of intraoperative hypertension, frequency of bradycardia, and neonatal outcomes. Results Two hundred eighty-four mothers were included in the analysis. The frequency of postspinal hypotension was lower for both the 0.050-μg · kg-1 · min-1 dose group (23/93 [24.7%], odds ratio: 0.45 [95% CI: 0.24 to 0.82], P = 0.014) and the 0.075-μg · kg-1 · min-1 dose group (25/96 [26.0%], odds ratio: 0.48 [95% CI:0.26 to 0.89], P = 0.022) compared with the 0.025-μg · kg-1 · min-1 dose group (40/95 [42.1%]). The two higher-dose groups (the 0.050-μg · kg-1 · min-1 group and the 0.075-μg · kg-1 · min-1 group) had higher systolic blood pressure and lower heart rate compared with the 0.025 μg · kg-1 · min-1 group. The three groups were comparable in the frequency of intraoperative hypertension, incidence of bradycardia, and neonatal outcomes. Conclusions Both the 0.050-μg · kg-1 · min-1 and 0.075-μg · kg-1 · min-1 norepinephrine infusion rates effectively reduced postspinal hypotension during cesarean delivery compared with the 0.025-μg · kg-1 · min-1 infusion rate.