Critical Care COVID-19 Management Protocol General schema for respiratory support in patients with COVID-19
(updated 5-25-2020) TRY TO AVOID INTUBATION IF POSSIBLE
Low-Flow Nasal Cannula
Prophylaxis
■ Typically set at 1-6 Liters/Min
While there is very limited data (and none specific for COVID-19), the following “cocktail” may
have a role in the prevention/mitigation of COVID-19 disease.
■ Vitamin C 500 mg BID and Quercetin 250-500 mg BID High Flow Nasal Cannula
■ Accept permissive hypoxemia (O2 Saturation > 86%)
■ Zinc 75-100 mg/day
■ Titrate FiO2 based on patient’s saturation
■ Melatonin (slow release): Begin with 0.3mg and increase as tolerated to 2 mg ■ Accept flow rates of 60 to 80 L/min
at night
■ Trial of inhaled Flolan (epoprostenol)
■ Vitamin D3 1000-4000 u/day Attempt proning (cooperative proning)
Deterioration
■
■ Optional: Famotidine 20-40mg/day
Recovery
Mildly Symptomatic patients (at home): Invasive Mechanical Ventilation
■ Vitamin C 500mg BID and Quercetin 250-500 mg BID ■ Target tidal volumes of ~6 cc/kg
■ Zinc 75-100 mg/day ■ Lowest driving pressure and PEEP
■ Melatonin 6-12 mg at night (the optimal dose is unknown) ■ Sedation to avoid self-extubation
Trial of inhaled Flolan
Vitamin D3 2000-4000 u/day
■
■
■ Optional: Hydroxychloroquine 400mg BID day 1 followed by 200mg BID for 4 days
Prone Positioning
■ Optional: Ivermectin 150-200ug/kg (single dose) ■ Exact indication for prone ventilation is unclear
■ Optional: ASA 81/325mg/day ■ Consider in patients with PaO2/FiO2 ratio < 150
■ Optional: Famotidine 20-40mg/day
In symptomatic patients, monitoring with home pulse oximetry is recommended.
Ambulatory desaturation below 94% should prompt hospital admission VV-ECMO
■ Indications remain unclear
Mildly Symptomatic patients (on floor): ■ Early discussion with ECMO center or team may be advisable
■ Vitamin C 500 mg PO q 6 hourly and Quercetin 250-500 mg BID (if available)
■ Zinc 75-100 mg/day
■ Melatonin 6-12 mg at night (the optimal dose is unknown) ■ Optional: Remdesivir 200mg D1 then 100mg daily for 9 days.
■ Vitamin D3 2000-4000 u/day ■ Optional: Ivermectin 150-200 ug/kg (single dose)
■ Enoxaparin 60 mg daily ■ N/C 2L /min if required (max 4 L/min; consider early t/f to ICU for escalation of care).
■ Famotidine 40mg daily (20mg in renal impairment) ■ T/f EARLY to the ICU for increasing respiratory signs/symptoms and arterial
■ Methylprednisolone 40 mg q 12 hourly; increase to 80 mg q 12 if poor response desaturations.
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Find the latest version at evms.edu/covidcare
Critical Care COVID-19 Management Protocol
(updated 5-14-2020)
Respiratory symptoms (SOB; hypoxia- requiring N/C ≥ 4 L min: 13. Maintain EUVOLEMIA
admit to ICU): 14. Early norepinephrine for hypotension.
Essential Treatment (dampening the STORM)
15. Escalation of respiratory support; See General Schema for Respiratory
1. Methylprednisolone 80 mg loading dose then 40 mg q 12 hourly for at Support in Patients with COVID-19.
least 7 days and until transferred out of ICU. In patients with poor response,
increase to 80 mg q 12 hourly. Salvage Treatments
Plasma exchange. Should be considered in patients with progressive
2. Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) 3g IV q 6 hourly for at least 7 days and/or until
■
oxygenation failure despite corticosteroid therapy. Patients may require
transferred out of ICU. Note caution with POC glucose testing.
up to 5 exchanges.
3. Full anticoagulation: Unless contraindicated we suggest FULL ■ High dose corticosteroids; 120 mg methylprednisolone q 6-8 hourly
anticoagulation (on admission to the ICU) with enoxaparin, i.e 1 mg kg s/c
Siltuximab and Tocilizumab (IL-6 inhibitors)
q 12 hourly (dose adjust with Cr Cl < 30mls/min). Heparin is suggested with
■
CrCl < 15 ml/min. ■ Convalescent serum; the role and timing of convalescent serum are
uncertain.
Note: Early termination of ascorbic acid and corticosteroids will likely result in a
rebound effect. Treatment of Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS)
Additional Treatment Components (the Full Monty) ■ A sub-group of patients will develop MAS. A ferritin > 4400 ng/ml
is considered diagnostic of MAS. Other diagnostic features include
4. Melatonin 6-12 mg at night (the optimal dose is unknown).
increasing AST/ALT and increasing CRP.
5. Famotidine 40mg daily (20mg in renal impairment) ■ Methylprednisolone 120 mg q 6-8 hourly for at least 3 days, then wean
6. Vitamin D 2000-4000 u/day according to Ferritin, CRP, AST/ALT. Ferritin should decrease by at least
15% before weaning corticosteroids.
7. Thiamine 200mg IV q 12 hourly
Monitoring:
8. Simvastatin 80 mg/day
■ Daily: PCT, CRP, IL-6, BNP, Troponins, Ferritin, Neutrophil-Lymphocyte
9. Magnesium: 2 g stat IV. Keep Mg between 2.0 and 2.4 mmol/l. Prevent ratio, D-dimer and Mg. CRP, IL-6 and Ferritin track disease severity closely.
hypomagnesemia (which increases the cytokine storm and prolongs Qtc). Thromboelastogram (TEG) on admission and repeated as indicated.
10. Optional: Azithromycin 500 mg day 1 then 250 mg for 4 days Post ICU management
11. Optional: Remdesivir, 200 mg IV loading dose D1, followed by 100mg day IV a. Enoxaparin 40-60 mg s/c daily
for 9 days b. Methylprednisone 40 mg day, the wean slowly
12. Broad-spectrum antibiotics if superadded bacterial pneumonia is suspected c. Vitamin C 500 mg PO BID
based on procalcitonin levels and resp. culture (no bronchoscopy). d. Melatonin 3-6 mg at night
Developed and updated by Paul Marik, MD, Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine,
Find the latest version at evms.edu/covidcare Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA
