Prone Positioning in a North American Cohort of Hypoxemic Patients on Mechanical Ventilation.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Use of prone positioning increased among mechanically ventilated patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is unknown whether implementation of this life-saving intervention was sustained. Thus, we aimed to evaluate peri-pandemic trends in proning use.

Design

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of proning use among mechanically ventilated adults, with proning rates compared across pre-pandemic (1/2018-2/2020), pandemic (3/2020-2/2022), and post-pandemic (3/2022-12/2024) periods.

Setting

37 North American hospitals.

Patients

Mechanically ventilated patients with persistent moderate-to-severe hypoxemia (PaO₂/F_iO₂ ≤150 mmHg, F_iO₂ ≥0.6, and positive end-expiratory pressure ≥5 cmH₂

SUBMITTER: Barker AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12424874 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature