ESICM UNITE COVID-19 Project (UNITE-COVID)

COVID-19 is arguably the biggest challenge critical care medicine has been confronted with since its conception. Critical care services around the world are flooded by patients presenting with severe respiratory failure who require prolonged treatment in the ICU. Despite the support provided, outcomes are poor, particularly in ventilated patients. Many unanswered questions remain regarding the pathophysiology of COVID-19, particularly in severely ill patients. No evidence-based treatment is currently available, yet different often experimental therapies are administered to patients. As experience grows, new phenotypes are recognized, and unreported complications are observed in the most severely ill patients. Although many registries are currently including patients, few of them focus on ICU patients and their specific treatments and newly observed complications and challenges. Although the pandemic may appear on its return in many countries that are now easing the restrictions that were put in place to limit the spread of the disease, it can be expected that COVID-19 will be a continued challenge in ICUs globally until a safe and effective vaccine is found. Efforts to study the disease should continue in order to advance our understanding of the disease as well as improve treatment options.