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DOES THE USE OF DEXMEDETOMIDINE AFFECT THE OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE COVID-19?
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  • Kubilay İşsever,
  • Ahmed Cihad Genç,
  • Deniz Çekiç,
  • Ahmed Bilal Genc,
  • Selcuk Yaylaci,
  • AHMET NALBANT
Kubilay İşsever
Sakarya Training and Research Hospital

Corresponding Author:kubilayissever@gmail.com

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Ahmed Cihad Genç
Sakarya Training and Research Hospital
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Deniz Çekiç
Sakarya Universitesi Tip Fakultesi
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Ahmed Bilal Genc
Sakarya Universitesi
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Selcuk Yaylaci
Sakarya University
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AHMET NALBANT
Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine
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Abstract

Objective: Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a highly selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist that is increasingly used in the daily practice of intensive care units (ICUs) with its sedative, analgesic, anxiolytic, and immunoprotective effects. In this study, we aimed to analyze whether Dexmedetomidine improves the outcomes in patients treated in ICU. Design: A retrospective study Place and Duration of Study: Intensive care units (ICU) of Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey, from October 2020 to February 2021 Methodology: The medical records of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. We included 134 patients in the study, in 45 of whom the treatment regimen included dexmedetomidine and 89 of whom were not treated with dexmedetomidine. Patients treated with DEX were defined as the “patient group”, whereas patients not treated with DEX were defined as “control group” and the parameters were compared between these groups. Obtained data were analyzed in the biostatistical program. Results: The median age of all patients was 64 and 62.7% of them were male. No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of median ages (p>0.05). The patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), congestive heart failure (CHF), and undergoing insulin treatment were significantly less treated with DEX (p=0.04, p=0.03, and p=0.016 respectively) whereas intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy was found to be more frequently applied to the patient group (p=0.043). The median duration between ICU admission and the time of intubation was 4 days for the control group whereas it was 1 day for the patient group and the difference was strongly significant (p=0.000, p<0.001). The other analyses concerning lab parameters, mortality rates, intubation rates and durations, applied treatments, and comorbidities revealed no significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: Our study revealed that DEX therapy can help us to gain time before intubation however can not reduce mortality rates in severe COVID-19.