Evaluation of HRCT chest features in COVID 19 patients with pre-existing comorbidity and clinical correlation

Abstract

Background: High resolution CT scan of chest has a major role in diagnosis and prognosis of COVID 19 patients. This study attempts to assess the pattern and severityof theCT chest manifestations in COVID patients with pre-existing comorbidity as compared to those without comorbidity. Methods:This is a retrospective study. HRCT findings of 572 COVID19 pneumonia patients in the period for 5 months were analysed. And the medical record of the same patients was searched for the presence of any pre-existing comorbidity.The CT severity score and the CT pattern of the two groups of patients (those with comorbidity and those without comorbidity) were compared to find out the severity of HRCT chest manifestation in patients with comorbidity.Results: Among them 513 patients were male. The age group in the studied population range between 2-87 years with mean age 38.75 years. Out of 572 patients 22.5% (n- 129) patients had pre-existing comorbidity.Out of 129 patients in the comorbidity group majority (66.6%) showedpositive findings in high resolution CT of chest, but out of 443 patients in the non-comorbidgroup majority (46.8%) had negativechest findings. Severe CT severity score(>15/25) was found in 33.3% of patients with comorbidity while in 2.5% of cases without comorbidity. There was a strong correlation between the clinical and CT severity score.
Conclusion: Larger percentage of Covid patients with comorbidity showed positive chest findings in high resolution CT of chest. And the severe (>15/25) CT severity scorewas seen in increased proportion of Covid patients with comorbidity as compared to those without comorbidity.