What is the optimal ventilation strategy in COVID-19, in particular PEEP and the moment of switch to pressure support, in invasively ventilated patients with COVID-19?

Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can develop severe pneumonia, for which they often require artificial respiration, also known as ventilation. Research into ventilation in intensive care patients in general has already led to measures aimed at preventing damage from the ventilation itself. It remains uncertain whether the same measures should be taken for COVID-19 patients. It is still unclear at what pressure it is best to ventilate, and also whether it is better to allow a patient to breathe spontaneously quickly on the ventilator. Goal The aim of this study is to determine the best pressure level for ventilation and the best time to allow a patient to breathe spontaneously during ventilation. Research design In the first and second waves of the national outbreak of COVID-19 in the Netherlands, two studies, called 'PRactice of VENTilation in COVID-19' (PRoVENT-COVID) and the 'PRactice of Adjunctive Therapies in ICU patients with COVID-19' (PRoAcT-COVID) carried out. Both studies were large, with >1000 patients in each. The data from these two studies will be combined and further supplemented to answer the questions of this new study.