Oxygen requirements and approaches
WHO O2CoV2: Oxygen requirements and approaches to respiratory support in patients with COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries – a WHO observational study
Background
Oxygen requirements and approaches to respiratory support in patients with COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries (O2CoV2) was an observational study conducted by WHO with multiple implementing partners.
The primary objective was to inform the design of a randomized clinical trial to test the ability of a variety of non-invasive respiratory approaches to reduce mortality and the need for intubation and mechanical ventilation.
Over 175 expressions of interest from principal investigators (PIs) from more than 50 LMICs were received, from which 40 PIs from 30 countries (see map) were invited to implement the study by the International Study Steering Committee.
Results
The results of the study are currently being peer reviewed and will be published open access as soon as possible.
Future plans
Preliminary results were presented to the WHO symposium on meeting the global needs for oxygen and respiratory care (4 October 2023, Toronto, Canada). The report of the meeting is accessible here.
Future plans for research in globally relevant trials of respiratory support can be found here.
