Oxygen requirements and approaches to respiratory support in patients with COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries: a WHO O2 CoV2 study
Abstract
Type of research study
The study is a prospective cohort (inception) study.
4.2 Problem to be addressed
It is estimated that approximately 20% of those affected by COVID-19 require oxygen
supportive therapy. Oxygen is an essential medicine and has been listed as such on the WHO
Essential Medicines List and Essential Medicines List for children for almost two decades. Still,
availability of supplemental medical oxygen in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
remains a challenge.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted, more than ever, the acute need for scale-up of
oxygen therapy. WHO has provided an inventory tool to quantify facility-level provision of
infrastructure to deliver oxygen therapy. Some data are available from existing studies,
however, detailed data on the use of oxygen therapy in LMICs at the patient level remain
lacking.
The WHO COVID-19 Clinical Characterization and Management Research Group has been
developing two research protocols to support the understanding of respiratory support
practices and oxygen requirements for the clinical management of COVID-19.
The first is an observational study to describe oxygen requirements and respiratory
support practices at facilities caring for patients with COVID-19 in LMICs.
The second is an interventional platform trial which seeks to compare modalities of
respiratory support (continuous positive airway pressure [CPAP] vs high-flow nasal
cannula [HFNC], awake prone position).
Selection of the most relevant interventions requires an understanding of current practice
and expertise in sites that might recruit patients to the trial. Existing studies collect data on
oxygen mode of delivery, but do not characterize the type, quantity and duration of each
modality’s use at the patient level, to give a better understanding of oxygen therapy
modalities in current use in LMICs
Description
Keywords
Covid 19 Protocol