The Relationship Between Chest Computed Tomography Severity Scores and Demographic Features, Laboratory Parameters and Mortality in Patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to investigate the relationship between chest computed tomography -severity score (CT -SS) and demographic and laboratory findings and mortality in Coronavirus disease -2019 (COVID-19) patients. Materials and Methods: Our study was a single -center retrospective analysis of 162 patients (aged >= 18 years) with COVID-19. We included laboratory -confirmed COVID-19 patients between October 2020 and April 2021. Chest CT imagings, laboratory findings, and demographic data were collected at admission. CT -SS was calculated using a visual semi -quantitative scoring system (total score 0-25). We divided the patients into three subgroups based on chest CT -SS, as mild (0-7), moderate (8-17) and severe (>18). Results: The mild group consisted of 91 patients (56.2%) with a median CT -SS value of 2 [interquartile range (IQR) 0-5], the moderate group consisted of 65 patients (40.1%) with a median CT -SS value of 11 (IQR 9-12), and the severe group was composed of 6 patients (3.7%) with a median CT -SS value of 19.5 (IQR 18-24). We found statistically significant relationships between high CT -SS and lymphocytopenia (p=0.001), increased C -reactive protein (p<0.001), procalcitonin (p<0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (p<0.001), serum creatinine (p<0.001), D-dimer (p<0.001), prolonged prothrombin time levels (p=0.006), history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p=0.014), chronic renal disease (p=0.001), and cerebrovascular disease (p=0.029) in chi-square test. In addition, high CT -SS was statistically correlated with high mortality risk (p<0.001). Conclusion: There was a relationship between high CT -SS and high mortality, inflammatory and anticoagulant laboratory markers, and some comorbidities in COVID-19 patients. Evaluation of CT-SSs and risk factors of demographic characteristics and laboratory findings provide useful prognostic information about the survival of COVID-19 patients.