• First outcomes of VIRUS registry study, STOP-VIRUS collaborative launched

Nine months after Discovery, the Critical Care Research Network, launched the Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study (VIRUS), the first global COVID-19 registry to track ICU and hospital care patterns in near real-time, researchers have identified sizable variations in practice and outcomes among hospitals, prompting action to unearth the causes and inform improved and equitable care. A partnership between the Society for Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and Mayo Clinic, VIRUS continues to grow and is launching the Structured Team-Based Optimal Patient-Centered Care for Virus COVID-19 (STOP-VIRUS) ICU Learning Collaborative. The collaborative aims to turn key learnings into specific recommendations to ensure that ICUs are better prepared for the ongoing pandemic as well as future viral pandemics.

Infographic of outcomes of patients with COVID-19 on organ support. From Global Virus Registry.

Recognizing the value in gathering consensus data during a pandemic (in light of the lack of such timely information during the Ebola outbreak) VIRUS was launched in May 2020 and has grown to include over 65,000 adult and pediatric hospital admissions at 297 sites in 25 countries and more than 1000 pediatric hospital admissions at 69 sites in nine countries and continues to welcome new sites. 

Rahul Kashyap, M.D., M.B.B.S.

Learn more about the registry and how to join.
 
The key finding that has emerged from the registry is the sizable variation in practice and outcomes that cannot be explained by patient characteristics, with hospital mortality ranging from 20% to 80% among hospitals.

“Because there is no definitive treatment for COVID-19 as of now, our focus is to learn from high-performing hospitals’ practice and disseminate those findings to all,” said Rahul Kashyap, M.D., M.B.B.S., Mayo Clinic researcher and principal investigator of the VIRUS COVID-19 Registry. “That led us to partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for support to convey key learnings based on experiential observations.”


This articles has been reposted with permission from the Society of Critical Care Medicine. Access the full article here.