COVID-19 Stroke Apical Lung Examination Study 2: a national prospective CTA biomarker study of the lung apices, in patients presenting with suspected acute stroke (COVID SALES 2).

BACKGROUND: Apical ground-glass opacification (GGO) identified on CT angiography (CTA) performed for suspected acute stroke was developed in 2020 as a coronavirus-disease-2019 (COVID-19) diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in a retrospective study during the first wave of COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively validate whether GGO on CTA performed for suspected acute stroke is a reliable COVID-19 diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and whether it is reliable for COVID-19 vaccinated patients. METHODS: In this prospective, pragmatic, national, multi-center validation study performed at 13 sites, we captured study data consecutively in patients undergoing CTA for suspected acute stroke from January-March 2021. Demographic and clinical features associated with stroke and COVID-19 were incorporated. The primary outcome was the likelihood of reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction swab-test-confirmed COVID-19 using the GGO biomarker. Secondary outcomes investigated were functional status at discharge and survival analyses at 30 and 90 days. Univariate and multivariable statistical analyses were employed. RESULTS: CTAs from 1,111 patients were analyzed, with apical GGO identified in 8.5 % during a period of high COVID-19 prevalence. GGO showed good inter-rater reliability (Fleiss κ = 0.77); and high COVID-19 specificity (93.7 %, 91.8-95.2) and negative predictive value (NPV; 97.8 %, 96.5-98.6). In subgroup analysis of vaccinated patients, GGO remained a good diagnostic biomarker (specificity 93.1 %, 89.8-95.5; NPV 99.7 %, 98.3-100.0). Patients with COVID-19 were more likely to have higher stroke score (NIHSS (mean +/- SD) 6.9 +/- 6.9, COVID-19 negative, 9.7 +/- 9.0, COVID-19 positive; p = 0.01), carotid occlusions (6.2 % negative, 14.9 % positive; p = 0.02), and larger infarcts on presentation CT (ASPECTS 9.4 +/- 1.5, COVID-19 negative, 8.6 +/- 2.4, COVID-19 positive; p = 0.00). After multivariable logistic regression, GGO (odds ratio 15.7, 6.2-40.1), myalgia (8.9, 2.1-38.2) and higher core body temperature (1.9, 1.1-3.2) were independent COVID-19 predictors. GGO was associated with worse functional outcome on discharge and worse survival after univariate analysis. However, after adjustment for factors including stroke severity, GGO was not independently predictive of functional outcome or mortality. CONCLUSION: Apical GGO on CTA performed for patients with suspected acute stroke is a reliable diagnostic biomarker for COVID-19, which in combination with clinical features may be useful in COVID-19 triage.

Incidence and follow-up of persistent lung perfusion abnormalities as a result of suspected air trapping or microthrombosis in non-hospitalised COVID-19 patients during the early half of the pandemic - experience in a tertiary institution in South Afr.

BACKGROUND: Available clinical data have revealed that COVID-19 is associated with a risk of pulmonary microthrombosis and small airway disease, especially in patients with severe disease. These patients present with persistent pulmonary symptoms after recovery, with ventilation and perfusion abnormalities present on several imaging modalities. Few data are available on the occurrence of this complication in patients who earlier presented with a milder form of COVID-19, and their long-term follow-up. OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of persistent lung perfusion abnormalities as a result of suspected air trapping or microthrombosis in non-hospitalised patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The long-term follow-up of these patients will also be investigated. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted at the nuclear medicine department of Universitas Academic Hospital, Bloemfontein. We reviewed the studies of 78 non-hospitalised patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection referred to our department from July 2020 to June 2021 for a perfusion-only single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) study or a ventilation perfusion (VQ) SPECT/CT study. All 78 patients were suspected of having pulmonary embolism, and had raised D-dimer levels, with persistent, worsening or new onset of cardiopulmonary symptoms after the diagnosis of COVID-19. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients were studied. The median (interquartile range) age was 45 (41 - 58) years and the majority (88.5%) were females. Twenty-two (28.2%) of these patients had matching VQ defects with mosaic attenuation on CT. All 9 of the patients who had follow-up studies had abnormalities that persisted, even after 1 year. CONCLUSION: We confirm that persistent ventilation and perfusion abnormalities suspicious of small airway disease and pulmonary microthrombosis can occur in non-hospitalised patients diagnosed with a milder form of COVID-19. Our study also shows that these complications remain present even 1 year after the initial diagnosis of COVID-19.

Incidence and follow-up of persistent lung perfusion abnormalities as a result of suspected air trapping or microthrombosis in non-hospitalised COVID-19 patients during the early half of the pandemic ­ experience in a tertiary institution in South Africa

Available clinical data have revealed that COVID-19 is associated with a risk of pulmonary microthrombosis and small airway disease, especially in patients with severe disease. These patients present with persistent pulmonary symptoms after recovery, with ventilation and perfusion abnormalities present on several imaging modalities. Few data are available on the occurrence of this complication in patients who earlier presented with a milder form of COVID-19, and their long-term follow-up. Objective. To assess the incidence of persistent lung perfusion abnormalities as a result of suspected air trapping or microthrombosis in non-hospitalised patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The long-term follow-up of these patients will also be investigated. Methods. This was a retrospective study conducted at the nuclear medicine department of Universitas Academic Hospital, Bloemfontein. We reviewed the studies of 78 non-hospitalised patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection referred to our department from July 2020 to June 2021 for a perfusion-only single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) study or a ventilation perfusion (VQ) SPECT/CT study. All 78 patients were suspected of having pulmonary embolism, and had raised D-dimer levels, with persistent, worsening or new onset of cardiopulmonary symptoms after the diagnosis of COVID-19. Results. Seventy-eight patients were studied. The median (interquartile range) age was 45 (41 - 58) years and the majority (88.5%) were females. Twenty-two (28.2%) of these patients had matching VQ defects with mosaic attenuation on CT. All 9 of the patients who had follow-up studies had abnormalities that persisted, even after 1 year. Conclusion. We confirm that persistent ventilation and perfusion abnormalities suspicious of small airway disease and pulmonary microthrombosis can occur in non-hospitalised patients diagnosed with a milder form of COVID-19. Our study also shows that these complications remain present even 1 year after the initial diagnosis of COVID-19.

The prevalence of pulmonary embolism in non-hospitalised de-isolated patients diagnosed with mild COVID-19 disease.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a known complication of COVID-19 disease. The mechanism of thromboembolic events appears to be stimulated by excessive thrombin production, inhibition of fibrinolysis and deposition of antiphospholipids and thrombi, as well as microvascular dysfunction in multiple vascular beds. The occurrence of PE has been well demonstrated in hospitalised patients with severe disease. Very few data are available on its incidence or prevalence in non-hospitalised patients diagnosed with a milder form of the disease. OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of PE in non-hospitalised patients diagnosed with mild COVID-19 who presented with raised D-dimer levels and persistent or new-onset cardiopulmonary symptoms. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted in the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Universitas Academic Hospital, Bloemfontein, South Africa. We reviewed the studies of 65 non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19 referred to the department from July 2020 to January 2021 for a perfusion-only single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) study or a ventilation/perfusion (VQ) SPECT/CT study. All 65 patients had raised D-dimer levels with persistent, worsening or new-onset cardiopulmonary symptoms after the diagnosis of COVID-19. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were studied. The median (interquartile range) age was 46 (41 - 54) years and the majority (88.2%) were female. There were 22 patients (33.8%) with lung perfusion defects in keeping with PE. Two of these patients had a false-negative computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) study for PE performed the same day as their VQ SPECT/CT study. CONCLUSIONS: We confirm a high prevalence of PE in non-hospitalised patients diagnosed with mild COVID-19 who presented with raised D-dimer levels and persistent or new-onset cardiopulmonary symptoms. We recommend that irrespective of disease severity, hospitalised and non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19 presenting with persistent or new-onset cardiopulmonary symptoms and raised D-dimer levels should be investigated further for PE.

Preoperative localization of undescended testes in children: comparison of clinical examination and ultrasonography.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative localization of the testis aids effective management of undescended testes. Various diagnostic techniques have been applied in the localization of undescended testes with varying results. The aim of this study was to compare clinical assessment and ultrasound evaluation in the preoperative localization of undescended testes in children. METHODS: A prospective evaluation of all boys undergoing operation for undescended testes at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, from July 2010 to June 2011 was carried out. The findings on preoperative clinical and ultrasound examinations were compared with intraoperative findings. RESULTS: Forty boys with 52 undescended testes were studied. The median age of the boys at the time of surgery was 4 years (range 1-11 years). Forty-five testes (86.5%) were accurately localized preoperatively by ultrasound while 25 testes (48.1%) were accurately localized on clinical examination. Ultrasound evaluation had an accuracy of 86.5% in preoperative localization of undescended testes. Clinical examination had an accuracy of 48.1% in preoperative localization of undescended testes. Ultrasound was more accurate than physical examination (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography is more accurate than clinical examination in the preoperative localization of undescended testes in children and could play a role in preoperative evaluation of patients with undescended testes.