A study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine has found that high-dose inhaled nitric oxide therapy can enhance oxygenation and lower the risk of death in Black patients with severe COVID-19. The research, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, focused on patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), a common condition in COVID-19 patients. ARDS affects the lungs, leading to fluid build-up and restricted air exchange, which can cause organ damage and increase the risk of death.
The study was led by Pankaj Arora, M.D., and Lorenzo Berra, M.D., during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. They initiated the NOSARSCOVID trial, an international study, to investigate the effects of high-dose inhaled nitric oxide on oxygenation in COVID-19 patients needing mechanical ventilation. The trial found that this therapy improved oxygenation.
The team also examined whether racial differences in response to inhaled nitric oxide existed. They recruited a diverse group of patients for this purpose. The study found that inhaled nitric oxide therapy improved oxygenation more in Black patients than in white patients. It also reduced the risk of death at 28 and 90 days in Black patients, a benefit not seen in white patients.