• Jiro Ito, Ryutaro Seo, Daisuke Kawakami, Yoshinori Matsuoka, Kenjiro Ouchi, Suguru Nonami, Yusuke Miyoshi, Masao Tatebe, Takahiro Tsuchida, Yoko Asaka, Machi Yanai, Hiroshi Ueta, Takahiro Shimozono, Hiroyuki Mima, Asako Doi, Keisuke Tomii, and Koichi Ariyoshi.
• Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, 2-1-1, Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan. phyandeth69boo@gmail.com.
• J Anesth. 2021 Apr 1; 35 (2): 213-221.

PurposeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has placed a great burden on critical care services worldwide. Data regarding critically ill COVID-19 patients and their demand of critical care services outside of initial COVID-19 epicenters are lacking. This study described clinical characteristics and outcomes of critically ill COVID-19 patients and the capacity of a COVID-19-dedicated intensive care unit (ICU) in Kobe, Japan.MethodsThis retrospective observational study included critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to a 14-bed COVID-19-dedicated ICU in Kobe between March 3, 2020 and June 21, 2020. Clinical and daily ICU occupancy data were obtained from electrical medical records. The last follow-up day was June 28, 2020.ResultsOf 32 patients included, the median hospital follow-up period was 27 (interquartile range 19-50) days. The median age was 68 (57-76) years; 23 (72%) were men and 25 (78%) had at least one comorbidity. Nineteen (59%) patients received invasive mechanical ventilation for a median duration of 14 (8-27) days. Until all patients were discharged from the ICU on June 5, 2020, the median daily ICU occupancy was 50% (36-71%). As of June 28, 2020, six (19%) died during hospitalization. Of 26 (81%) survivors, 23 (72%) were discharged from the hospital and three (9%) remained in the hospital.ConclusionDuring the first months of the outbreak in Kobe, most critically ill patients were men aged ≥ 60 years with at least one comorbidity and on mechanical ventilation; the ICU capacity was not strained, and the case-fatality rate was 19%.

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