High-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy during refractory COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome: a retrospective observational study

BACKGROUND: Current COVID-19 guidelines recommend the early use of systemic corticoids for COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It remains unknown if high-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPT) ameliorates refractory COVID-19 ARDS after many days of mechanical ventilation or rapid deterioration with or without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study. Consecutive patients with COVID-19 ARDS treated with a parenteral high-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy at the intensive care units (ICU) of two University Hospitals between January 1st 2021 and November 30st 2022 were included. Clinical data collection was at ICU admission, start of MPT, 3-, 10- and 14-days post MPT. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients (mean age 55 ± 12 years) were included in the study. MPT started at a mean of 17 ± 12 days after mechanical ventilation. Nineteen patients (54%) received ECMO support when commencing MPT. Mean p(a)O(2)/F(i)O(2) significantly improved 3- (p = 0.034) and 10 days (p = 0.0313) post MPT. The same applied to the necessary F(i)O(2) 10 days after MPT (p = 0.0240). There were no serious infectious complications. Twenty-four patients (65%) survived to ICU discharge, including 13 out of 20 (65%) needing ECMO support. CONCLUSIONS: Late administration of high-dose MPT in a critical subset of refractory COVID-19 ARDS patients improved respiratory function and was associated with a higher-than-expected survival of 65%. These data suggest that high-dose MPT may be a viable salvage therapy in refractory COVID-19 ARDS. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12890-023-02664-5.