A significant contributor to the morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 is from the abnormal carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in COVID-19 patients. Metabolic studies done on COVID-19 patients have shown that these patients have abnormally high metabolic rates. High metabolic rates results in increased carbon dioxide production and increased oxygen usage, both of which can result in high carbon dioxide and low oxygen levels. As some patients with severe COVID-19 continue to have high carbon dioxide levels and/or low oxygen levels despite being on the ventilator, it is hypothesized that decreasing the metabolic rate in these COVID-19 patients will help their oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Mild hypothermia is currently used in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest to improve mortality and neurological outcomes. Mild hypothermia is also an effective way to reduce metabolic demand. The aim is to apply mild hypothermia to COVID-19 patients to decrease metabolic rate in order to improve their oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Although the application for mild hypothermia has been widely adopted in some patient populations, it has never been applied in COVID-19 patients. If we can develop a strategy to help improve the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in COVID-19 patients, it may lead to improvements in their overall outcomes.
Some patients with COVID have abnormally high carbon dioxide and low oxygen levels despite being on the ventilator. The hypothesis of the study is that the application of mild hypothermia to patients with COVID will decrease their metabolic rate and improve their oxygenation and carbon dioxide levels.