ABSTRACT
Background Pneumothorax (PTX), pneumomediastinum (PM), and emphysema (EM) are complications of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Studying these situations' risk factors, complications, and prognosis is essential for early diagnosis during a pandemic. Methods We performed a case-control study of patients diagnosed with coronavirus pneumonia complicated with PTX, PM, and EM compared with patients without these complications to evaluate the risk factors for the incidence and prognosis of patients with pulmonary complications of COVID-19. We used parametric, non-parametric, and regression tests to analyze the data. Results We enrolled 162 patients (81 complicated, 81 uncomplicated). A past medical history of diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidemia (HLP), lung disease, and ischemic heart disease (IHD) was not associated with PTX, PM, and EM in COVID 19 pneumonia (p-value > 0.05). The mortality rate was higher in the case group (69% vs. 15%). Among ventilator modes, 46.2% of intubated patients in the case group had synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV) for their ventilation. ESR, CRP, D-dimer, LDH, WBC, and troponin significantly increased, and lymphocytes decreased in complicated COVID compared to control groups (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion The nature of SARS-CoV-2 predisposes patients to PTX and other pulmonary complications. In practice, we could predict the complications and severity of COVID-19 pneumonia from some specific laboratory data.