Serial electrical impedance tomography course in different treatment groups; The MaastrICCht cohort.

PURPOSE: To describe the effect of dexamethasone and tocilizumab on regional lung mechanics over admission in all mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dynamic compliance, alveolar overdistension and collapse were serially determined using electric impedance tomography (EIT). Patients were categorized into three groups; no anti-inflammatory therapy, dexamethasone therapy, dexamethasone + tocilizumab therapy. The EIT variables were (I) visualized using polynomial regression, (II) evaluated throughout admission using linear mixed-effects models, and (III) average respiratory variables were compared.

RESULTS: Visual inspection of EIT variables showed a pattern of decreasing dynamic compliance. Overall, optimal set PEEP was lower in the dexamethasone group (-1.4 cmH2 O, -2.6; -0.2). Clinically applied PEEP was lower in the dexamethasone and dexamethasone + tocilizumab group (-1.5 cmH2 O, -2.6; -0.2; -2.2 cmH2 O, -5.1; 0.6). Dynamic compliance, alveolar overdistension, and alveolar collapse at optimal set PEEP did not significantly differ between the three groups.

CONCLUSION: Optimal and clinically applied PEEP were lower in the dexamethasone and dexamethasone + tocilizumab groups. The results suggest that the potential beneficial effects of these therapies do not affect lung mechanics favorably. However, this study cannot fully rule out any beneficial effect of anti-inflammatory treatment on pulmonary function due to its observational nature.