Proning Early in Awake COVID-19 Hypoxic Respiratory Failure (PREACHR) Study

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The aim of this proposal is to study whether proning, a technique that has previously been shown to improve lung function in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), can prevent those with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 from progressing to severe disease when initiated early, thereby averting intubation, reducing hospitalization, and, ultimately, decreasing mortality.

Detailed Description
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COVID-19 is a global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-COV-2. At this time, SARS-CoV-2 is believed to infect alveolar cells, directly impairing lung function and eliciting a profound inflammatory response that further damages the lungs. Between 1 in 20 and 1 in 10 patients infected with this virus die. A crucial decision point in the treatment of patients with COVID-19 in the Emergency Department is the decision to admit to the hospital for further treatment, or discharge the moderately symptomatic (hypoxic and feel ill) but not critically ill patients. However, patients who present with initially mild to moderate symptoms may progress to severe disease. There is, therefore, an unmet need to identify interventions that prevent progression to critical illness in moderately symptomatic patients. Anecdotal reports from Emergency Physicians suggest that alternating prone and supine positioning (i.e. instructing the patient to periodically turn over) improves hypoxia and delays intubation. Dubbed proning, this technique improves hypoxia in 6-7 out of 10 intubated patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Alternating supine and prone positioning improves the recruitment of alveoli, improves ventilation-perfusion matching, increases end-expiratory lung volumes, and improves pulmonary lymphatic drainage. This proposal is innovative because it studies the extension of an intervention previously restricted to patients in the intensive care units with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Current literature on proning in awake patients with ARDS is limited to retrospective studies with no randomized controlled trials. Further, no clinical trials to date have explored the benefits of early awake proning in COVID-19. The development of a treatment that prevents disease progression and hospitalization in patients moderately ill with COVID-19 would decrease morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 as well as decrease the utilization of scarce healthcare resources. In addition, this trial would be the first randomized controlled-trial, contributing significantly to the nascent evidence base on treatment for COVID-19.

Official Title
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Proning Early in Awake COVID-19 Hypoxic Respiratory Failure (PREACHR) Study

Conditions
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Covid19, Respiratory Failure

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Proning
* Other: Supportive Care


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Age >18 Presenting to the ED with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 Assessed by ED attending physician to not require emergent intubation Normal mental status and ability to communicate symptoms/distress Able to follow instructions independently Exclusion Criteria: Severe respiratory distress requiring immediate intervention Unable to follow verbal instructions Unable to communicate their needs, symptoms, or distress Inability to tolerate prone positioning due to mental status or habitus

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Randomized Controlled Non-Blinded
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Placebo Comparator: Control<br>Usual Care | Other: Supportive Care<br>* Usual Care<br>|
| Experimental: Proning<br>Proning, rotating 90 degrees on long axis every 30 minutes - 2 hours | Behavioral: Proning<br>* Rotating on long axis 90 degrees every 30 minutes<br>Other: Supportive Care<br>* Usual Care<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All-cause mortality | All-cause mortality | Within 30 days of discharge from hospital | 
| Need for intubation | Need for intubation | At any time during first hospitalization for hypoxia from COVID-19 up to 2 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of repeat visits for same complaint | Number of repeat visits in 30 days for same complaint | 30 days |