Prognostic value of clinical and radiological findings in COVID-19 pneumonia

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We aimed to examine the demographic, clinical, and imaging characteristics of patients with COVID???19 pneumonia and also to identify the factors affecting mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was designed as a retrospective single???center observational study. A total of 126patients with COVID???19 pneumonia who were polymerase chain reaction confirmed and underwent thorax computer tomography(CT) were analyzed. The patients' demographic and clinical data were obtained from the electronic medical record. Thorax CT findings were re???evaluated retrospectively by thoracic radiologists according to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pneumonia guidelines of the Radiological Society of North America. The extent of lesions was evaluated by CT lobe score, which was the sum of individual lobe scores(0-5 point) of the lungs. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 60.4 +/- 18.6years and 54%(n=68) were male. The most common symptoms included cough, fever, and shortness of breath. The average time interval between the onset of symptoms and thorax CT acquisition was 6.6 +/- 8.3days. The most common radiological findings included ground???glass opacity(98.4%), consolidation(72.2%), and vascular enlargement(69.8%), respectively. The deceased patients had more common consolidation, vascular enlargement, and high lobe scores in thorax CT as compared to survivors. According to logistic regression analysis age(P=0.003), lobe score(P=0.001), numbers of comorbidities(P=0.017), symptoms duration(P=0.034), and vascular enlargement(P=0.045) were independent risk factors on 30???day mortality. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that age, symptoms duration, the number of comorbidities, lobe score, and vascular enlargement in thorax CT are associated with the prognosis of COVID???19 pneumonia