Primary aim is to asses the effects of body position on diaphragmatic thickening fraction (primary aim) and lung aeration and vital sign (secondary aims) in patents assisted via noninvasive ventilation (NIV) for hypoxemic acute respiratory failure (hARF) associated to COVID-19. All adult patients, admitted for hARF due to COVID-19 and requiring NIV were enrolled.~Diaphragmatic thickening fraction, lung aeration assessed through ultrasound, comfort, and grade of sedation-agitation as well as vital signs, i.e., peripheral oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and breathing pattern were monitored during noninvasive ventilation in supine and after 1 hour following the switch to prone position.
The present investigation aims to assess the diaphragmatic thickening fraction, reflecting the diaphragmatic activity, during supine (baseline) and at 1 hour following prone position in patients assisted through non invasive ventilation due to hypoxemic acute respiratory failure related to COVID-19. Also, the impact of lung aeration and comfort were ascertained in the same setting