Comparison of radiologic findings between SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory tract viruses in critically ill children during the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors

OKTAY PERKFollow
TANIL KENDİRLİFollow
EMEL UYARFollow
BİRSEL ŞEN AKOVAFollow
HATİCE ALBAYRAKFollow
HASAN AĞINFollow
EBRU ATİKE ONGUNFollow
EŞE EDA TURANLIFollow
SARE GÜNTÜLÜ ŞIKFollow
ŞAHİN SİNCARFollow
GÜRKAN BOZANFollow
DEMET DEMİRKOLFollow
NAZAN ÜLGEN TEKEREKFollow
MEY TALİPFollow
ARZU OTOFollow
FEYZA İNCEKÖY GİRGİNFollow
FERHAT SARIFollow
NURETTİN ONUR KUTLUFollow
ALTAN GÜNEŞFollow
ÖMER SUAT FİTÖZFollow

Abstract

Background/aim: This study was planned because the radiological distinction of COVID-19 and respiratory viral panel (RVP)-positive cases is necessary to prioritize intensive care needs and ensure non-COVID-19 cases are not overlooked. With that purpose, the objective of this study was to compare radiologic findings between SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory airway viruses in critically ill children with suspected COVID-19 disease.Materials and methods: This study was conducted as a multicenter, retrospective, observational, and cohort study in 24 pediatric intensive care units between March 1 and May 31, 2020. SARS-CoV-2- or RVP polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive patients’ chest X-ray and thoracic computed tomography (CT) findings were evaluated blindly by pediatric radiologists.Results: We enrolled 225 patients in the study, 81 of whom tested positive for Coronovirus disease-19 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The median age of all patients was 24 (7–96) months, while it was 96 (17–156) months for COVID-19-positive patients and 17 (6–48) months for positive for other RVP factor (p < 0.001). Chest X-rays were more frequently evaluated as normal in patients with SARS-CoV-2 positive results (p = 0.020). Unilateral segmental or lobar consolidation was observed more frequently on chest X-rays in rhinovirus cases than in other groups (p = 0.038). CT imaging findings of bilateral peribronchial thickening and/or peribronchial opacity were more frequently observed in RVP-positive patients (p = 0.046).Conclusion: Chest X-ray and CT findings in COVID-19 patients are not specific and can be seen in other respiratory virus infections.

Author ORCID Identifier

OKTAY PERK 0000-0002-2586-5954

ŞAHİN SİNCAR 0000-0001-9383-8723

GÜRKAN BOZAN 0000-0001-5041-8892

DEMET DEMİRKOL 0000-0001-9578-9267

NAZAN ÜLGEN TEKEREK 0000-0002-4577-1488

MEY TALİP 0000-0002-6409-3854

ARZU OTO 0000-0002-0362-9061

FEYZA İNCEKÖY GİRGİN 0000-0002-0116-0351

FERHAT SARI 0000-0002-4721-6656

NURETTİN ONUR KUTLU 0000-0002-3306-6570

ALTAN GÜNEŞ 0000-0002-0365-1218

TANIL KENDİRLİ 0000-0001-9458-2803

ÖMER SUAT FİTÖZ 0000-0002-0180-0013

EMEL UYAR 0000-0002-8265-0618

BİRSEL ŞEN AKOVA 0000-0003-2843-0611

HATİCE ALBAYRAK 0000-0002-0753-7818

HASAN AĞIN 0000-0003-3306-8899

EBRU ATİKE ONGUN 0000-0002-1248-8635

EŞE EDA TURANLI 0000-0001-5876-0510

SARE GÜNTÜLÜ ŞIK 0000-0002-4526-0485

DOI

10.55730/1300-0144.5818

Keywords

COVID-19, pediatric intensive care units, respiratory system, SARS-CoV-2, tomography

First Page

517

Last Page

528

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

PERK, O, KENDİRLİ, T, UYAR, E, ŞEN AKOVA, B, ALBAYRAK, H, AĞIN, H, ONGUN, E, TURANLI, E, ŞIK, S, SİNCAR, Ş, BOZAN, G, DEMİRKOL, D, ÜLGEN TEKEREK, N, TALİP, M, OTO, A, İNCEKÖY GİRGİN, F, SARI, F, KUTLU, N, GÜNEŞ, A, & FİTÖZ, Ö (2024). Comparison of radiologic findings between SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory tract viruses in critically ill children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences 54 (3): 517-528. https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-0144.5818