Hemodynamic changes associated with neuraxial anesthesia in pregnant women with covid 19 disease: a retrospective case-control study

Background: Neuraxial blocks is the recommended mode of analgesia and anesthesia in parturients with Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19). There is limited data on the hemodynamic responses to neuraxial blocks in COVID-19 patients. We aim to compare the hemodynamic responses to neuraxial blocks in COVID-19 positive and propensity-matched COVID-19 negative parturients. Methods: We conducted retrospective, cross-sectional case–control study of hemodynamic changes associated with neuraxial blocks in COVID-19 positive parturients in a Tertiary care academic medical center. Fifty-one COVID-19 positive women confirmed by nasopharyngeal reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), were compared with propensity-matched COVID negative controls (n = 51). Hemodynamic changes after neuraxial block were recorded by electronic medical recording system and analyzed using paired and unpaired T- test and Wilcoxon-Mann–Whitney Rank Sum tests. The primary outcome was ≥ 20% change in MAP and HR after neuraxial block placement. Results: In the epidural group, 7% COVID-19 positive parturients had > 20% decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) from baseline compared to 15% COVID-19 negative parturients (P = 0.66). In the spinal group, 83% of COVID-19 positive parturients had a decrease in MAP more than 20% from baseline compared to 71% in control (P = 0.49). MAP drop of more than 40% occurred in 29% COVID positive parturients in the spinal group versus 17% in COVID-19 negative parturients (P = 0.5465). In COVID-19 positive spinal group, 54% required vasopressors whereas 38% in COVID-19 negative spinal group required vasopressors (P = 0.387). We found a significant correlation between body mass index (BMI) > 30 and hypotension in COVID (+) parturient with odds ratio (8.63; 95% CI-1.93 – 37.21) (P = 0.007). Conclusion: Incidence and severity of hypotension after neuraxial blocks were similar between COVID-19 positive and COVID-19 negative parturients. BMI > 30 was a significant risk factor for hypotension as described in preexisting literature, this correlation was seen in COVID-19 positive parturients. The likely reason for parturients with BMI > 30 in COVID negative patients not showing similar correlation, is that the sample size was small.