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Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines on the Management of Adults With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the ICU First Update

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Published: 1/29/2021

Crit Care Med 2021 Jan;49:e219-e234

Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines on the Management of Adults With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the ICU First Update

Citation: Crit Care Med 2021 Jan;49:e219-e234

Jump to Recommendations

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) has updated the previously released Guidelines on the Management of Critically Ill Adults With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The release of this first update is January 29, 2021.

BACKGROUND: 
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to affect millions worldwide. Given the rapidly growing evidence base, we implemented a living guideline model to provide guidance on the management of patients with severe or critical COVID-19 in the ICU.

METHODS: 
The Surviving Sepsis Campaign Coronavirus Disease 2019 panel has expanded to include 43 experts from 14 countries; all panel members completed an electronic conflict-of-interest disclosure form. In this update, the panel addressed nine questions relevant to managing severe or critical COVID-19 in the ICU. We used the World Health Organization’s definition of severe and critical COVID-19. The systematic reviews team searched the literature for relevant evidence, aiming to identify systematic reviews and clinical trials. When appropriate, we performed a random-effects meta-analysis to summarize treatment effects. We assessed the quality of the evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach, then used the evidence-to-decision framework to generate recommendations based on the balance between benefit and harm, resource and cost implications, equity, and feasibility.

RESULTS: 
The Surviving Sepsis Campaign Coronavirus Diease 2019 panel issued nine statements (three new and six updated) related to ICU patients with severe or critical COVID-19. For severe or critical COVID-19, the panel strongly recommends using systemic corticosteroids and venous thromboprophylaxis but strongly recommends against using hydroxychloroquine. In addition, the panel suggests using dexamethasone (compared with other corticosteroids) and suggests against using convalescent plasma and therapeutic anticoagulation outside clinical trials. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign Coronavirus Diease 2019 panel suggests using remdesivir in nonventilated patients with severe COVID-19 and suggests against starting remdesivir in patients with critical COVID-19 outside clinical trials. Because of insufficient evidence, the panel did not issue a recommendation on the use of awake prone positioning.

CONCLUSION: 
The Surviving Sepsis Campaign Coronavirus Diease 2019 panel issued several recommendations to guide healthcare professionals caring for adults with critical or severe COVID-19 in the ICU. Based on a living guideline model, the recommendations will be updated as new evidence becomes available.

Guideline Type: Clinical

Related Resources:

Infographics
Summary of recommendations of the COVID-19 guidelines therapeutic update (Infographic 1)
Summary of recommendations on the initial management of hypoxic COVID-19 patients (Infographic 2)
Summary of recommendations on the management of patients with COVID-19 and ARDS (Infographic 3)

Translations
Surviving Sepsis Campaign COVID19 Guidelines - Chinese Translation
Surviving Sepsis Campaign COVID-19 Guideline Recommendations - Chinese Translation 
Summary of recommendations of the COVID-19 guidelines therapeutic update - Chinese Translation
Summary of recommendations on the management of patients with COVID-19 and ARDS - Chinese Translation


Additional resources are avilable at survivingsepsis.org

Category: Quality and Patient Safety, Infection, Sepsis,

Read Full Guideline

A complete list of the guidelines authors and contributors is available within the published manuscript.