In December 2019, an outbreak of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China and rapidly spread worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a pandemic on March 11th, 2020. The clinical disease (COVID-19) results in critical illness in about 5% of patients with predominant acute respiratory failure.~The goal of the study is the evaluation of the respiratory mechanics (peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), plateau pressure (Pplat), static compliance (Cstat), driving pressure (DP) at different positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) levels and different tidal volumes (Vt) (6-8 ml/kg ideal body weight), lung recruitability (by change of DP and oxygenation) and gas exchange (PaO2/FiO2 ratio and alveolar dead space) in COVID-19 -associated acute respiratory failure during the whole course of mechanical ventilation - invasive or non-invasive for selection of safe and effective PEEP level, Vt, respiratory rate (RR) and inspiratory oxygen fraction (FiO2) during the whole course of mechanical ventilation - invasive or non-invasive.~This study is multicentral observational trial in 3 University clinics.
Data on respiratory mechanics and gas exchange in acute respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients is limited. Knowledge of respiratory mechanics and gas exchange in COVID-19 can lead to different selection of mechanical ventilation strategy, reduce ventilator-associated lung injury and improve outcomes. The objective of the study is to evaluate the respiratory mechanics, lung recruitability and gas exchange in COVID-19 -associated acute respiratory failure during the whole course of mechanical ventilation - invasive or non-invasive.