Sleep position related to hospital length of stay in admitted COVID-19 patients

Rationale: Prone positioning improves oxygenation in mechanically ventilated ARDS patients and is currently widely applied in COVID-19 patients in ICUs. Up to 20% of COVID-19 patients on the general ward may require ICU admission for hypoxic respiratory failure and are predominantly admitted during the night. We hypothesize that predominantly sleeping in the non-supine position could improve oxygenation and thereby shorten the disease course.
Objective: To investigate whether non-supine positioning during the night in COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital ward shortens hospital length of stay.
Study design: Randomized, placebo-controlled single-center study.
Study population: Patients aged ≥ 18 years, admitted to the hospital ward with a proven SARS-CoV-2 infection, suffering from COVID-19.
Intervention (if applicable): Prevent a supine position during sleep by the use of a Sleep Position Trainer, a small wearable device that trains patients to not sleep on their back by using gentle vibrations (1:1 randomization). In both groups sleep position will be continuously registered.
Main study parameters/endpoints: Hospital length of stay (days).
Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: Considering the major impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare systems in the Netherlands but also worldwide, strategies to improve oxygenation and thereby possibly reduce hospital admission days are of major clinical and social importance. Sleep Position Trainers are known to be a safe and patient friendly method of decreasing the proportion of supine sleep time in OSAS patients.

Predominantly sleeping in the non-supine position could improve oxygenation and thereby shorten the disease course in admitted COVID-19 patients.

Admission and hospital discharge.

Prevent a supine position during sleep by the use of a Sleep Position Trainer, a small wearable device that trains patients to not sleep on their back by using gentle vibrations (1:1 randomization). In both groups sleep position will be continuously registered.