Characteristics and Outcomes of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Patients Admitted to an Intensive Care Unit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Al-Hameed, Fahad; Wahla, Ali S; Siddiqui, Shakeel; Ghabashi, Alaa; Al-Shomrani, Majid; Al-Thaqafi, Abdulhakeem; Tashkandi, Yasir

BACKGROUND An increasing number of patients are being infected with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) since the first case was identified in September 2012. We report the characteristics and outcomes of MERS-CoV-confirmed patients who developed critical illness requiring admission to an intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS We conducted a prospective cohort study of all MERS-CoV-confirmed cases who were admitted to our ICU from March 20, 2014, till June 1, 2014. Presenting symptoms, comorbid conditions, and details of their ICU stay were recorded. RESULTS Eight patients were admitted to the ICU with MERS-CoV infection. All had signs of respiratory distress with 7 requiring mechanical ventilation. Three patients were health care workers. In all, 6 patients had comorbid conditions and 5 patients developed multiorgan system failure (MOSF). In all, 5 patients expired, 2 were discharged alive, and 1 remained intubated at the end of the study period. CONCLUSIONS Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus carries a high mortality rate in patients who require ICU admission, with a significant number of patients developing MOSF. Further investigation is needed to determine optimal management guidelines for these patients.