|
 
 |
| EDITORIAL |
|
| Year : 2020 | Volume
: 4
| Issue : 5 | Page : 1-2 |
|
Saudi Critical Care Research from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome to COVID-19
Yaseen M Arabi
College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center; Department of Intensive Care, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| Date of Submission | 17-Nov-2020 |
| Date of Acceptance | 18-Nov-2020 |
| Date of Web Publication | 7-Dec-2020 |
Correspondence Address:
Yaseen M Arabi
Department of Intensive Care, King Abdulaziz Medical City, ICU 1425, P.O. Box: 22490, Riyadh 11426
Saudi Arabia
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/sccj.sccj_64_20
How to cite this article:
Arabi YM. Saudi Critical Care Research from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome to COVID-19. Saudi Crit Care J 2020;4, Suppl S1:1-2 |
How to cite this URL:
Arabi YM. Saudi Critical Care Research from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome to COVID-19. Saudi Crit Care J [serial online] 2020 [cited 2023 Feb 3];4, Suppl S1:1-2. Available from: https://www.sccj-sa.org/text.asp?2020/4/5/1/302589 |
In the last decade, two major outbreaks caused by emerging coronaviruses have occurred: the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). More than 80% of cases of MERS have occurred in Saudi Arabia, while COVID-19 has been a worldwide infection. Both pandemics have been associated with a high burden of critical illness.
Since the first case of MERS identified in 2012, the Saudi Critical Care Trials Group (SCCTG) has made collaborative efforts to learn from this disease. The SCCTG conducted the largest cohort study of critically ill patients with MERS, which led to several important papers characterizing the disease[1],[2],[3] and evaluating several interventions.[4],[5],[6] Recently, the results of the MIRACLE trial, which was conducted in 9 intensive care units (ICUs) in 5 cities in Saudi Arabia, was published.[7] The study examined the efficacy of the combination of lopinavir-ritonavir and interferon beta-1b and confirmed the ability of the SCCTG to conduct high-quality clinical trials.
The knowledge base established, lessons learned, and experiences gained from the MERS pandemic became pivotal in the effective response to the current COVID-19 pandemic. The critical care services’ response in Saudi Arabia has been outstanding, reflecting the in-depth knowledge and the collaborative efforts learned from the past MERS pandemic.
In this issue, the SCCTG presents a series of articles that reflect the multidimensional knowledge and research work regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The diversity, breadth, and depth of topics are a testimony of the advancement in the field by the SCCTG and a reflection of a strong commitment to collaborative work.
This is a continuation of the ongoing collaborative research by the SCCTG on several fronts which include: (a) capacity building among critical care research investigators and coordinators[8] which included conducting the Basic Assessment and Support in Intensive Care (BASIC) research course; (b) training and mentoring residents in conducting research projects, and (c) improving care in critically ill patients through quality improvement initiatives. The latter includes the National Approach to Standardize and Improve Mechanical Ventilation project[9],[10] which has been an important milestone of a Kingdom-wide collaboration of 45 participating ICUs aiming at improving the care of mechanically ventilated patients. In addition, the SCCTG conducts regular activities including scientific meetings, workshops, and seminars. The current issue reflects the group active work on promoting high-quality research and advancing the critical care research agenda[11] which is expected to influence medical practice and improve patients’ outcome.
| References | |  |
| 1. | Arabi YM, Al-Omari A, Mandourah Y, Al-Hameed F, Sindi AA, Alraddadi B, et al. Critically Ill patients with the Middle East respiratory syndrome: A multicenter retrospective cohort study. Crit Care Med 2017;45:1683-95.  |
| 2. | Al-Dorzi HM, Alsolamy S, Arabi YM. Critically ill patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection. Crit Care 2016;20:65. |
| 3. | Shalhoub S, Al-Hameed F, Mandourah Y, Balkhy HH, Al-Omari A, Al Mekhlafi GA, et al. Critically ill healthcare workers with the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS): A multicenter study. PLoS One 2018;13:e0206831. |
| 4. | Arabi YM, Mandourah Y, Al-Hameed F, Sindi AA, Almekhlafi GA, Hussein MA, et al. Corticosteroid therapy for critically Ill patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2018;197:757-67. |
| 5. | Arabi YM, Deeb AM, Al-Hameed F, Mandourah Y, Almekhlafi GA, Sindi AA, et al. Macrolides in critically ill patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome. Int J Infect Dis 2019;81:184-90. |
| 6. | Alraddadi BM, Qushmaq I, Al-Hameed FM, Mandourah Y, Almekhlafi GA, Jose J, et al. Noninvasive ventilation in critically ill patients with the Middle East respiratory syndrome. Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2019;13:382-90. |
| 7. | Arabi YM, Asiri AY, Assiri AM, Balkhy HH, Al Bshabshe A, Al Jeraisy M, et al. Interferon beta-1b and lopinavir-ritonavir for Middle East respiratory syndrome. N Engl J Med 2020;383:1645-56. |
| 8. | Deeb A, Al Qasim E, Afesh L, Abdukahil S, Sadat M, Arabi Y. Building capacity in critical care research coordination in Saudi Arabia: The role of the Saudi critical care trials group. Saudi Crit Care J 2018;2:35-41. [Full text] |
| 9. | Edrees H, Al Aseri Z, Mandourah Y, Yousef A, Qushmaq I, Maghrabi K, et al. Commitment to collaborate: The value of establishing multicenter quality improvement collaboratives in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Crit Care J 2017;1:7-9. [Full text] |
| 10. | Arabi Y, Al Aseri Z, Alaama T, Alharthy A, Al-Hameed F, Mandourah Y, et al. One-year progress oa a large-scale collaborative project for improving the care of mechanically ventilated patients. Saudi Crit Care J 2020;4:1-4. [Full text] |
| 11. | Arabi Y, Mandourah Y, Al-Hameed F, Maghrabi K, ALshahrani M, Sadat M. Moving the critical care research agenda forward in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Crit Care J 2019;3:1-2. [Full text] |
|
Search Pubmed for