Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Inhaled Epoprostenol and Inhaled Nitric Oxide for Refractory Hypoxemia in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of inhaled epoprostenol and inhaled nitric oxide in patients with refractory hypoxemia secondary to coronavirus disease 2019. DESIGN: Retrospective single-center study. SETTING: ICUs at a large academic medical center in the United States. PATIENTS: Thirty-eight adult critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 and refractory hypoxemia treated with either inhaled epoprostenol or inhaled nitric oxide for at least 1 hour between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020. INTERVENTIONS: Electronic chart review. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of 93 patients screened, 38 were included in the analysis, with mild (4, 10.5%), moderate (24, 63.2%), or severe (10, 26.3%), with acute respiratory distress syndrome. All patients were initiated on inhaled epoprostenol as the initial pulmonary vasodilator and the median time from intubation to initiation was 137 hours (68–228 h). The median change in Pao(2)/Fio(2) was 0 (–12.8 to 31.6) immediately following administration of inhaled epoprostenol. Sixteen patients were classified as responders (increase Pao(2)/Fio(2) > 10%) to inhaled epoprostenol, with a median increase in Pao(2)/Fio(2) of 34.1 (24.3–53.9). The mean change in Pao(2) and Spo(2) was –0.55 ± 41.8 and –0.6 ± 4.7, respectively. Eleven patients transitioned to inhaled nitric oxide with a median change of 11 (3.6–24.8) in Pao(2)/Fio(2). A logistic regression analysis did not identify any differences in outcomes or characteristics between the responders and the nonresponders. Minimal adverse events were seen in patients who received either inhaled epoprostenol or inhaled nitric oxide. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the initiation of inhaled epoprostenol and inhaled nitric oxide in patients with refractory hypoxemia secondary to coronavirus disease 2019, on average, did not produce significant increases in oxygenation metrics. However, a group of patients had significant improvement with inhaled epoprostenol and inhaled nitric oxide. Administration of inhaled epoprostenol or inhaled nitric oxide may be considered in patients with severe respiratory failure secondary to coronavirus disease 2019.