key: cord-0804438-v1awpaa5
authors: Moghadam, Vahid Damanpak; Shafiee, Hamed; Ghorbani, Maryam; Heidarifar, Reza
title: Prone positioning in management of COVID-19 hospitalized patients
date: 2020-05-16
journal: Braz J Anesthesiol
DOI: 10.1016/j.bjane.2020.05.001
sha: 4c2d982a77c4ffd8458bb1d7fea3e53e56efe8d4
doc_id: 804438
cord_uid: v1awpaa5

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We applied prone position in 10 randomly selected patients, which had COVID-19 (70% male and 30% female) and were hospitalized in a non-ICU ward specific for COVID-19 patients. Tracheal intubation was not applied for any patients. None of them used mechanical ventilation. The mean age of patients was 41 years-old. 30% of them had history of underlying diseases (hypertension or diabetes). We observed that mean SPO2% was 85.6% and 95.9% before and after positioning, respectively, and administrating this position show remarkable change in SPO2%. Also, the feeling of dyspnea decreased to 40% of cases and all patients were discharged from the hospital. Mean hospitalization duration for these patients was 4.8 days and no deaths occurred (Table 1) . Written informed consent was obtained from all the participants.

While our results may not show statistically worth information, we clinically observed improvement in respiration status and SPO2% of patients by applying prone positioning, so it seems that this position can help COVID-19 patients who suffer from a mild form of the disease and reduce mortality. But more precise and valid studies about this protective intervention are needed.

All authors met the criteria for authorship contribution based on recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. 

Pathological findings of COVID-19 associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome

COVID-19: what is next for public health? The Lancet

Prone position. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Prone positioning reduces mortality from acute respiratory distress syndrome in the low tidal volume era: a meta-analysis

We would like to thank all the personnel of the ward of COVID-19 infected patients in Forghani Hospital for their cooperation in the performance of this project.