Slepian Co-Authors COVID-19 Paper

BME clinical professor Marvin Slepian recently co-authored a research paper about the complications COVID-19 can cause on the heart and the lungs. Written alongside College of Medicine assistant professor Christian Bime, the paper  "Advanced Pulmonary and Cardiac Support of COVID-19 Patients," is published in the ASAIO Journal, the journal of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs. It also appears in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure.

"A large number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 develop severe respiratory compromise. While many are treated successfully with ventilators, a significant number deteriorate, needing enhanced methods of oxygenation. Beyond lung deterioration, a subgroup of these failing patients develops heart dysfunction with acute heart failure," Slepian said. "For these patients, an advanced treatment method known as ECMO – extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, is the best life-saving technology we have today. Here, rapid placement of mechanical circulatory support systems – support and augmentation pumps, with ECMO – is needed to essentially replace heart and lung function."

For the paper, Slepian assembled a group of leading cardiac, cardiovascular surgical and pulmonary specialists from around the world to put together a recommended best practices to facilitate rapid widespread use of this life-saving technology in response to COVID-19. 

The paper is a work in progress and will be continually updated as new information is evaluated with regard to novel coronavirus and care for critically ill patients. 

"This paper is meant to be a living document to advance best practices for widespread dissemination," Slepian said. "The strategy of the living document is that while U.S. experts are providing their best-practice recommendations, their actual experience with COVID-19 will evolve with additional frontline cases around the globe. As new insights, new adaptations and improvements emerge, these advances will rapidly be published and put online subsequently as supplement or updates to the present paper."