Comparing the Computed Tomography Findings of the Covid-19 PCR Positive Patients in Intensive Care Unit and PCR Negative Suspected Patients in Terms of Clinical and Laboratory Data

Abstract

Aim: There has been an overload in the workload of intensive care units in the hospitals due the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which started in 2019 and caused significant changes in the lives of people. In this process, it is not always easy to distinguish whether the patients followed in the intensive care unit with the suspicion of COVID-19 disease are actually infected or not. Our aim in this study was to reveal possible clinical, laboratory and computed tomography findings between polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (+) and PCR (-) patient groups followed up in the intensive care unit with a preliminary diagnosis of COVID-19. Material and Method: In this study, we evaluated 83 patients who were confirmed to have COVID-19 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and 80 patients who were RT-PCR negative but clinically and radiologically suspicious for COVID-19. The CT results of the patients were classified in accordance with the categories specified by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Many laboratory values, clinical progress of the disease, the source of infection and the complaints were also documented. We performed a statistical analysis of the data obtained between the two patient groups. Results: The typical radiological appearance was significantly higher in the positive group while the atypical appearance was significantly higher in the suspected group (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the indeterminate and negative categories. Regarding the laboratory findings, the means of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, d-dimer, neutrophil, white blood cell, platelet, neutrophile/ lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were significantly lower in the RT-PCR positive group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of other laboratory findings. Conclusion: In conclusion, it was determined that it was hard to distinguish the difference between these patients but there may be some clinical, laboratory and CT results that can facilitate this process.